As the job market continues to evolve, a lot of employees are getting into the habit of job hopping. Most notably Millennials who already have a reputation for changing jobs frequently. In a survey conducted by LinkedIn, they found out that Millennials do more job-hopping than any other generation. As a recruiting agency, we like to look into the data about what makes employees job hop and if it really hurts careers. Here’s what we’ve found out:
What Is Job Hopping & Why Do People Job Hop?
First off, what exactly is job hopping? “Job hopping” is the act of jumping from one job or company to another. Rather than staying at a position or an institution for a long-term, job hoppers tend to change jobs frequently based on their own volition rather than being laid off or a company’s closure for example.
Now, why do employees job hop? For Millennials, the allure of their passion, better work opportunity, recognition and good work culture are some of the top priority. Meanwhile, some of the older generation job hops surprisingly for some of the reasons same with the Millennials.
Why Job Hopping Is Not Good For Your Career
It Doesn’t Look Good For Hiring Managers
In competitive job markets, being a job hopper may turn more traditional hiring managers off due to the anticipated cost of investment training a new employee who may not plan to stick with the company. According to the 2014 Training Industry Report, approximately $1,200 was spent per employee. Understandably, hiring managers will think twice investing in someone who will only job hop in the end.
Lack of Responsibility
Job hopping to some may look like you lack responsibility because you’re not able to stick with one company or job for a long time, you give the impression of unreliability, and you lack commitment.
You’re Not In For Merits
Jumping from one job to another in a short span make you look like you are not in for merits or awards because you don’t stay with a company for a long-term, it shows the employer that you only care about yourself and progressing professionally.
You’re Not Loyal
Employers appreciate employees who are loyal to their jobs/company. So job hopping makes it look hard for you to look loyal to a company. If you can’t stick around for a long time, some employers may be wary of hiring you.
It Makes You Look Money Hungry
To an extent, job hopping makes you look like you only care about money. Changing jobs often may signal hiring managers or employers that you are just after a higher salary.
Job hopping isn’t always necessarily a bad thing. However, when you job hop, make sure that you have a concrete reason to. Also, a lot of employers are concerned about employment gap, so if you can justify these on your CV, then it won’t be much of problem.