Job Hop …

ThinkstockPhotos-76730702It use to be that having more than one job in a five year period of time was considered “flighty” and that you were labeled a “job-hopper.” No one wanted to look at your resume unless you can show longevity and commitment to a job. Getting an interview if you were not seen as a lifer was next to impossible if you could not prove that you had a valid reason for leaving your job in a short period of time—which was like five years or less! Job-hopping is not something you do with the Easter Bunny-it’s something you do when you are trying to figure out what you want or, you are so good at what you do everyone keeps offering you a job you can’t seem to turn down!

When you are an expert “job-hopper” you have taken the best of your current situation and are looking for the next best gig just like an Easter egg hunt gone awry. You may stumble from one job hole to another but hey you are having fun right? The job –hopper profile goes something like this:

  1. You need to keep moving otherwise you feel like you are stagnant and are not going anywhere in your career.
  2. You want to be liked so when someone offers you a new opportunity you don’t want to say no.
  3. Because it’s shiny.
  4. You may not have won at every game you played as a kid and you feel like it’s a race to fit 10 jobs in 10 years on your resume.
  5. You never liked staying in one place too long for fear of unhealthy attachments.
  6. You are a go-getter no matter how many times you like to run and fetch things.
  7. You don’t like to stay too long at the party- no matter how popular you have become.
  8. Change is good and you like to learn new things even if it has nothing to do with what you studied in school.
  9. Working in a variety of places makes you feel like a well-rounded person with much to offer someone new given the next chance.
  10. If you don’t like it you can leave.

Being a job-hopper these days is not a negative sign as it once was. Working in many places shows that you are curious by nature and have the ability to fit into new environments and to move with the rolling tide. As long as you know how to effectively “spin” your many career choices over a short span of time, most employers these days don’t necessarily look poorly on someone who has had many jobs. As someone who likes to move from one place to another knowing that about yourself is a huge plus in choosing the type of jobs you want and the type of people you would like to work for.

Just because you like to move around a lot does not mean you would not make a valuable addition to any team. You just need to make sure you don’t hop yourself off the career trail because you can’t seem to stay around long enough to offer up your contributions in a meaningful way. Have a list, check it off and hop on to your next great career adventure!

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Copyright © 2024 Lisa Kaye - HR & Business Consulting - The Career Rebel

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