When does job hopping become a problem?

Andrew_Ryan_89

I'm always impressed when someone mentions they have been working at the same place for 10+ years but I always wonder how people stay motivated for so long. especially when it is in the same role.

I'm at my third "proper" job since leaving university. Experience includes over 2 years in banks, just under 2 years at a top 5 accountancy firm and now I have recently started a senior role at another place. The reason for leaving the bank was equally due to a fall out with my manager and low salary compared to my peers (I was an internal promotion).

When I moved on, I was ideally hoping to stay at the next firm for at least 5 years, if not more and make an career out of it. Long story short, I felt there was a severe lack of development at that place, coupled with a salary I knew I was worth more than and feeling frustrated by the lack of seniority in the role. Just under 2 years there I left and now enjoying what I am doing now.

However, I can't mask the fact that what I am doing now is a massive step up. I love and want the challenge but part of me fears that I won't make the probation period and even if I do, I may not survive much longer.

It got me thinking, if I was going to leave this place in a year or so, would that then look problematic on my CV?

lizzy85

I think not. If you have been in the company for more than 2 years or so. It will be questionable if its only for a few months.

[Deleted User]

In answer to the question - only when going toward the wrong employer or appearing flaky in that you don't know what to do, sorry for bit of a generalist answer

Only today, I loved receiving and it certainly made me smile "We enjoyed reading your CV, would still like to interview you" even though you told us you can't make the planned times...

Yes someone can do 10+ years, but they can also hide and become stuck in their ways. Of course I may be excluded from the top employers but actually end of the day I don't really mind as I don't want to end up miserable just to prove something and full of regrets. No job is for life and I'm aware of someone 13 years of same employer later able to sever that employment with simply 1 weeks notice.

SeduLOUs

My personal view on it is that it only becomes problematic if you are only holding multiple jobs for a few months at a time.

Once you've been with an employer over a year, it demonstrates there must have been a basically good relationship, as a year is quite a long time to last if you were a troublemaker or always late or suspiciously off sick. 2 years is even better, as you've made it past the point where you can be sacked for basically no reason, so it shows you must have been doing something right at least.

I always go into jobs with the intention of them lasting, but if I run out of room to progress or develop then I'd rather move on than become bored and stagnant. I've been in my current job 6 years now and it's beginning to feel mundane, but at the moment that's acceptable as it keeps the stress levels low while I do my Open University degree.

bellaboo86

IMO about 2 years is an acceptable length of time. As long as you can always justify why your leaving your current position (e.g for a promotion) then there shouldn't be a promotion.
I would say that if you had a lot short term jobs on you CV ( 1 year here 18 months there) then employers might start to ask a few questions.

DKLS

If I am hiring a minimum of 1yr at a company is good, 2-3 Ideal, any longer and I wouldn't want to interview them especially if they had been in the same role for 10 years.

I would view that more negatively than someone who temped for 6 months at a time.

PasturesNew

My job history is appalling. But it's not me, it's them. I've been "unlucky" in that I've been recruited by people/firms that have either odd bosses (who sack everybody without a reason), or who get sold, bought out, go under, relocate, etc.

I start every job wanting to stay forever.... and then something happens.

I just find the losing bets in the employment race

At one firm I had a "reputation", which they joked about, for never being in a job long and how much bad luck I must be. The firm was huge, reputable, been in business 120 years. It was clearly a joke; most of them had worked there 5-35 years. On the first anniversary of me starting there, the Director stood on my desk and announced a takeover, whereupon the whole dept would be closing. Everybody just glared at me

HappyMJ

I've had so many different clients over the years that I do not bother with an "Employment History" section on my CV any more. The last genuine "employed" job where I had a "boss" I had was way back in 1996. I've been self employed ever since and had a different contract role every few months with well over 50 "assignments" over that time. There's no way I could ever list them all so I don't bother mentioning any of them as individual jobs. I just show my own limited company name as my employer and explain what I do. It appears I've been in continuous employment ever since which although technically true isn't really accurate as I have been known to not have any remunerative work for many months at a time.

Polarbeary

There is also a difference between leaving "permenent" jobs and having fixed term/temp roles which do not count as job hopping.

Andrew_Ryan_89

DKLS wrote: »

If I am hiring a minimum of 1yr at a company is good, 2-3 Ideal, any longer and I wouldn't want to interview them especially if they had been in the same role for 10 years.

I would view that more negatively than someone who temped for 6 months at a time.

Interesting. As someone who is relatively young, I feel that I need to move in order to get that pay raise and experience. There are so many people my age and little older who started with me at my first professional job and are still there. They may have had a £6k pay increase through promotion but can do so much more better if they moved on.

My salary has been like this so far

2011 - 2012 £19k
2012 - 2014 £25k (promotion)

New company

2014 - 2016 £30k basic (earned £20k+ in bonuses)

New company

2016 onward £48k

I always liked feeling slightly uncomfortable and challenged within my roles but feel some are scared to move.