How to Be a Smart Job-Hopper

If you’ve changed jobs frequently, be ready to explain those transitions to a potential employer

January 25, 2011 RSS Feed Print

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Howe says the newest generation of workers would actually prefer to stay with one employer for their entire career, but few find a company that lives up to their expectations. "Kids would love one employer, the perfect employer, that would take care of everything for them," he says. "Of course, they like a lot of variety on the job, but it would be great if they could have one big employer who could allow them to rotate laterally into a lot of different kinds of jobs and develop a lot of different kinds of experiences."

In the world of paying work, positions that offer that variety plus all the other qualities on our "perfect job" checklist are few and far between. Which makes job-hopping all that more appealing.

"Moving to another job is like a little dopamine hit," says Meagan Johnson, Larry's daughter, business partner, and co-author. "There's a high you get from moving to another job, a new opportunity."

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Tags:: employment,; economy,; unemployment,; hiring

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People don't always choose to jump from job to job, sometimes it's out of necessity...like being laid off or having to relocate...or having to take a job you really don't want just to survive. In reality, if your resume screams job hopper then most employers and recruiters won't even give you the time of day in today's economy. So you're pretty doomed unless you know someone in a good company who will give you a chance. Even with networking you often can't bypass the online screening, HR controls it. Especially in big companies and universities. In the 80s it was easy to get jobs so it was easier to move around until you found one you liked. Plus you could apply in person and speak to the hiring manager, especially if you knew someone at the company. Now jobs are at a premium and its an employers' market so they find ways to screen out applicants as a rule. So unless your resume blueprints the job description and the person reviewing online applications likes your resume once its not screened out, then you're doomed. They don't want to take the time to decipher whether or not your skills & accomplishments are going to help them if they aren't specific towards the job being posted. There's just too many people out there applying for jobs. Very frustrating indeed.

contract employee of PA 7:44PM March 29, 2012

It makes it hard when the jobs you take lay you off in the next 2-3 months after they hire you because of the corporation moving or downsizing and your at the bottom of the barrel, then you go to another one and the same thing happens and so you lose 5 jobs in 3 years...and how can that be helped when it has already happened and now it looks like i can keep a job...and labeled JOBHOPPER..

Unhappy of WA 7:12PM October 14, 2011

What about employee dumping corporations. Screw this attitude! I have companies that hire me and dump me after 6 months before my benefits kick in. Now I am being called a job hopper!
Before I was told that it has been too long since my graduation date to get the kind of jobs I want. I have lowered my standards for job searches; from Engineering to technician now to assembler. Guess fast food is my next stop.
I see so many unqualified people with jobs but preserve their jobs because of a good-ol-boy network. And I am not talking about race, but there is usually some type of culture (gangsta, preppy, or whatever) that I am not accepted into.

ariel of CA 6:35PM August 08, 2011

How to Be a Smart Job-Hopper

If you’ve changed jobs frequently, be ready to explain those transitions to a potential employer

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