Job Hopping

What is Job Hopping?

Job hopping is the habit or lifestyle of frequently changing jobs or switching employers, within a short period of time. Employees may hop jobs for various reasons, such as the pursuit of higher salaries, career growth opportunities, new challenges, or better work-life balance. 

However, frequent job changes can sometimes raise concerns for employers about employee stability and long-term commitment. Depending on the position, this requires understanding of the applicant’s situation before jumping to conclusions.

Job Hopper Meaning

A job hopper is a candidate with a history of frequently changing positions (under two years, as a rule of thumb). This can be due to the nature of the job itself (e.g. temporary/seasonal), or the candidate’s own volition (looking for a career change).  

Examples of Job Hoppers: Three Profiles

1. Michael works on a series of temporary or contract assignments as an IT consultant. Each contract lasts about 6-12 months, and after completing one project, he moves to another organization offering new challenges.

2. Sarah works as a software developer at a mid-sized tech company for two years. She leaves for another software development position at a competitor, which offers a higher salary. After two years at the new company, Sarah switches again for an increase at a larger tech firm.

3. Alex works as a graphic designer for a year before pursuing a new career in web development. After completing a coding bootcamp, Alex takes a junior web dev role at a startup. After another year, Alex moves to a larger company that saw his transferable skills to work as a tech project manager. 

How to Explain Job Hopping in a Resume or Interview

Large gaps in employment or overlap between positions can be confusing to recruiters and an ATS and may be viewed as a red flag. On the positive side, job hopping demonstrates a willingness to learn new skills, faster career progression, fresh perspectives, and a broader network. 

In a fast-evolving job market, organizations are restructuring, re-skilling, and downsizing more often. Job hoppers tend to be more adaptable and comfortable with change, which can make them more adept to navigate uncertain job markets. Candidates can communicate these points to interviewers, and the strategic thinking behind their job hopping. They could say:

“I understand that my resume shows a few job changes in recent years, but each move was a thoughtful decision to further my career. In my previous roles, I gained valuable skills and had the chance to work on projects that challenged me. 

However, I reached a point where I felt I had accomplished what I could in those positions, and I was seeking opportunities that offered more growth potential, better alignment with my long-term career goals, and a culture that matched my values.”

Gen Z job hopping is becoming increasingly popular as they search for organizations that align with their values, offer room for growth, and understand their preference for work-life balance. Being digital natives, they can also expertly navigate the web for self-directed learning. On a resume, they can showcase their soft skills with illustrative examples in their past roles.

For example, for a junior project manager, they could specify on their resume:

Led a team in identifying a bottleneck in customer service response times, resulting in a 25% faster resolution rate after implementing new workflow strategies while under record deadlines for Q3. 

Questions for Recruiters to Address Job Hopping

• Can you walk me through your career journey and some of the key decisions you’ve made in choosing your roles?
• How do you evaluate whether a company is the right fit for you, and how has that influenced your decision to transition between roles?
• What would make you stay in a role or with a company long-term, and how do you think this role aligns with those factors?
• In your career, have you found that changing roles or organizations allowed you to develop skills or knowledge that would not have been possible in a single position?