A common trend where employees leave their previous firms for better job roles, better exposure, better pay and various other reasons. This trend is nothing new, and thus job satisfaction for employees is such a big concern for the firm for retention of their clients. How frequently an employee must change the job has been a debatable topic for quite some time, but job-hopping has both pros and cons. Global competition has increased the hunger in every working individual, and no one wants to stay at one place for long in fear of missing out. Job hopping also poses a lot of questions during the interviews, which need to be answered tactically. A comprehensive guide to job-hopping is discussed here. Let us have a look.

What is job-hopping?

Staying at a particular job for a specific organization for 1-2 years, though some may even last as long as 5 years, and switching to new jobs frequently is called job-hopping. Moving from one company to another is what job-hopping means. Though viewed with a negative connotation traditionally as a job hopper was supposed to lack loyalty for a firm, its implications in the current world have changed. Doing a part-time job or temporary work at a firm and then switching to new roles also comes under job-hopping, and companies have become quite okay with that and some also prefer a moving workforce.

What are the reasons due to which employees go for job-hopping?

Job hopping may be a solution to many problems. So, some of the issues which are solved by job-hopping are:

• Job dissatisfaction: When an employee is not satisfied with the kind of work he is doing or with the future of the job role, they tend to start looking for other opportunities.

• Boredom: Many employees want a job that challenges them, and as soon as the challenging part gets over, they lose interest in the job and start looking outside.

• Poached: Good employees often get poached by other competitors, and thus, employee retention remains a massive task for the firm.

• Diverse experience: Many people want to gain exposure in different fields and thus cannot stay in a single job role for such a huge amount of time.

• Better offer: Many employees may get a better profile or better pay than their previous job and thus chase those offers.

What are the benefits of job-hopping?

Job hopping has many advantages other than just a new CV pointer. Some of these benefits are tangible while others are intangible, but they are of great importance for both the employees and the employer. So, the benefits of job-hopping are:

• Learning a diverse skillset: A job hopper is the culmination of all the skills that he/she learns on the multiple job roles that the person goes through. An employee who can handle the end-to-end process by himself, owning a diverse range of skill sets, is someone who every company looks for hiring and thus stands a better chance at employment.

• Soft skills enhancement: Communication and adaptability are something that a job hopper becomes proficient at. Changing job roles and environment makes the person adaptable, and building new relations with people in different teams and firms gives a person strong communication skills and a good network of accomplices.

• Increased pay: Job hoppers experience a better hike in their salaries as compared to the employees who stay in the same job for a longer period.

What are the drawbacks of job-hopping?

Having a stigma attached to it historically, job-hopping has its cons. So, some of them are:

• Losing out on gains: A job hopper never stays in any firm for a long period to gain the additional benefits. They always have to start over and thus never get the time to establish themselves. So, job hoppers lose on retirement income, employer’s contribution and other additional benefits that the firm provides only when the employee has served for a minimum amount of time.

• The stigma attached to it: Job hoppers were looked upon as disloyal and those who do not stay at one place for long, so employers do not want to waste a huge number of resources on them. Losing of trust from the employer side is one of the worst things to happen to an employee, which can lead to early termination of the employee.

• Job-hopping syndrome: A common syndrome that frequent job hoppers develop, where they are never satisfied with wherever they land and thus always remain dissatisfied with the kind of work they do in search of something better. So, they are stuck in an endless loop of finding the perfect job in the next switch!

How frequently should one switch a job?

As is said, too much of anything is bad! So, job-hopping when required is a good step, but doing it too frequently can cost you much more than doing you any good. Switching 5 jobs in 5 years is a terrifying deal as most of the recruiters won’t even want to talk to you as you ooze the trait of instability! Sticking to any job life-long is not an option in today’s time, so job hopping must be done, but it must be done strategically! In the early years of your career, job-hopping a bit is understandable as you are trying to explore different career paths, but after that, becoming stable is advisable. So, sticking to any firm for a minimum of 2-3 years is a good period before considering a switch. Switching jobs every year is not an advisable decision and must be avoided if you don’t want to achieve the tag of a job-hopper!

How to do job hopping correctly?

Anyone has to be sure of certain things before job-hopping, and then only it can be done in the right way. So, the correct way to go into job-hopping is:

• Be sure of what it is to be gained while switching: Make sure that with the job switch, new skills are being learnt, and you are moving up in your career ladder. Only then consider the switch. Do not do it just for a better salary.

• Do not hop jobs too soon: Recruiters do not like talking to people who show too frequent job changes in their resumes unless they have some exceptional skills. So, spend at least a year or more in each firm where you work.

• Do not leave the previous firm on bad terms: Be sure to tell your previous corporation well in advance about your intentions, and do not leave the firm on bad terms. Be cordial and accept that the journey there has come to an end and maintain good relations with your previous manager so that if your potential boss calls up your ex-boss, he/she will only have good things to say about you!

How can job hopping in your resume be explained during an interview?

Explaining small spans of work to the recruiter can be quite challenging for the job hopper. So, the best way to deal with this kind of question is to be honest with the interviewer. Showcasing how the varied range of skills gained during the short tenures can be useful for the potential job role is also a good way of dealing with this question. Show the potential employer that you are the best at your job and no one else can provide results better than you, and then you stand a chance in front of the interviewer. 

Grouping similar roles together and thus laying out different profiles chronologically can also help explain the different stints performed at different firms. Saying that the job-hopping was intentional and planned out according to your goals for life can portray that you have everything planned out and are not vague. Thus, confidence is the key! Own everything that you did and explain everything clearly, this will make the interviewer have trust in what you say, and thus you can explain your resume.

Job hopping is evolving from the stigma that was formed around its years ago, but still doing it pretty often is not taken in a good light. Doing it only when necessary is the way to go about it. Prepare a solid answer to explain the hopping if you have many, and prepare to showcase your talents to put you in a good light. Job hopping is the necessary evil in today’s world. One cannot live with too much of it and cannot live without it.