Are you job-hopping?

[dlk001]

A friend of mine, who is an IT graduate has changed jobs 3 times in last 18 months. Is that classified as "job-hopping" or simply "career advancement". How much is too much?

 

[Waaib]

If they were contract positions then it's career advancement as long as he/she can show that something was actually built, achieved, delivered or completed at each contract.

If permanent positions with a reason for leaving of 'career advancement' it wouldn't look too good to me. I'd be concerned that the person was all talk and no action. When you are reading lots of CV's you don't have much to go on and any alarm bell makes you cautious. 12 months minimum in a job before changing looks fine so 3 jobs in 36 months would be sort of ok. The issue for the person hiring is that it costs money to hire and time to train so you are really writing off 2 to 4 months when you hire a new person. The risks are real and you try to avoid them.

 

[MeNeZ]

I personally feel an interview and job works both ways. I've also changed jobs 3 times in the last year and half...I wasnt happy with my companies ethics or alike so I looked for alternatives.
Everytime I changed I got a better job with higher pay and more responsibility. I almost left my current company but they gave me a raise now yay! So I'm gonna chill for a bit.

I think its a good thing. Plus every company works differently so you get introduced to new software/hardware, procedures, new tech etc

 

[icyrus]

Such short intervals at each company certainly doesn't look good to an employer who is looking for stability. If his work is less project based and more support than it is less significant.

 

[FaNIX]

lol... don't get me started on this topic...

I'm at my 4th job since I completed my Honors degree,which was at the end of 2006. Started working in 2007.

And I just accepted another position at Alexander Forbes...grin....

 

[BigBear]

I wanted a permanet postion @ the company i worked for and got a contract deal instead which turned out to be better than my friend who was permanently employed.
It is better to leave @ a certain short time with a contract than as a permanent employee who couldn't cut it or like it. They even offered to extend my contract but i told them thanks, but no thanks. The work we did was easy, but the lack of proper admin and rude company ethics of the job was appalling.

 

[Moederloos]

It really depends.
Personally I think youngsters can be given some slack in this regard.
Older toppies like me tend to be more stable. Our priorities change, I think.

 

[FaNIX]

I have very good reasons why i left my previous companies... if I didn't then a big corporate like Alexander Forbes wouldn't have hired me...

I left my last company because the senior dude was an idiot... He wanted to do everything himself, and his methods wasn't near the market standard...People have been complaining about him for years, but for some reason he managed to stick around... And also the director was a complete idiot...

 

[Waaib]

I have very good reasons why i left my previous companies... if I didn't then a big corporate like Alexander Forbes wouldn't have hired me...

I left my last company because the senior dude was an idiot... He wanted to do everything himself, and his methods wasn't near the market standard...People have been complaining about him for years, but for some reason he managed to stick around... And also the director was a complete idiot...

All good an well and probably the truth but if I'm reading your CV I see job hopper. If you get an interview and talk about your previous bosses like that (even if you phrase it more politely) I'll make a note that say something like 'doesn't handle being managed well' or 'non conformist' or 'management nightmare' - all three are great if I'm hiring a manager, not so good for general staff though.

 

[FaNIX]

Well then it's good that you're not hiring me... not that I would work for you

 

[chiskop]

A friend of mine is in IT support - his strategy is to change jobs every 18 months and go big company -. small company -> big company -> small company. He believes you get more opportunities and learn more at small companies, and that big companies look better on CVs.

 

[blunomore]

I think job-hopping is frowned upon MORE in the case of older people, around 40 +. If someone is that age, you *expect* them to be more settled. This is not necessarily my opinion but I think employers see it that way.

Young people in their 20s need to explore the job market and find their feet.

 

[Moederloos]

All good an well and probably the truth but if I'm reading your CV I see job hopper. If you get an interview and talk about your previous bosses like that (even if you phrase it more politely) I'll make a note that say something like 'doesn't handle being managed well' or 'non conformist' or 'management nightmare' - all three are great if I'm hiring a manager, not so good for general staff though.

Have to agree there. The older I get the more I realise that the managers I thought were idiots just knew better....

 

[dlk001]

If they were contract positions then it's career advancement as long as he/she can show that something was actually built, achieved, delivered or completed at each contract.

If permanent positions with a reason for leaving of 'career advancement' it wouldn't look too good to me.

All the positions have been permanent with companies like Standard Bank, SAB Miller and now Discovery.

To me, its hard to believe anyone could gain any experience in engineering field by moving around so quickly. Is IT a little different perhaps?

 

[JK8]

Nice thread, I think ill job hop till I get a chance to go overseas!

 

[Waaib]

SAB Miller to Discovery ... from killing people to keeping them alive.

 

[CathJ]

All the positions have been permanent with companies like Standard Bank, SAB Miller and now Discovery.

To me, its hard to believe anyone could gain any experience in engineering field by moving around so quickly. Is IT a little different perhaps?

IT is different. You really do gain a lot by working for different companies with different processes; and different size companies, as well. I think that's part of the benefit of hiring me - the experience, of both good and bad practices, that I can bring to a company.

That said, you can't do it too frequently. I aim for at least 18 months in a company, although I don't always manage it.

 

[dlk001]

It really depends. Personally I think youngsters can be given some slack in this regard.
Older toppies like me tend to be more stable. Our priorities change, I think.

I also think youngsters tend to be mobile. I'm 31yrs now and have only worked for 2 companies so far. Most of my colleagues that I started with in 1998 have not changed jobs more than 5 times.

I just get a feeling people move around quicker these days for reasons less to do with career development.

 

[Turiko]

And I just accepted another position at Alexander Forbes...grin....

Ouch....

All the positions have been permanent with companies like Standard Bank, SAB Miller and now Discovery.

Double Ouch.....

I just get a feeling people move around quicker these days for reasons less to do with career development.

Maybe more to do with the fact that more and more employers these days treat their people like pieces of dog turd?

 

[JK8]

I also think youngsters tend to be mobile. I'm 31yrs now and have only worked for 2 companies so far. Most of my colleagues that I started with in 1998 have not changed jobs more than 5 times.

I just get a feeling people move around quicker these days for reasons less to do with career development.

Yip I also feel we should... I mean 18 months you should probably learn "everything" right? Meet new people in different companies etc...
That stagnant life sucks!
Now to get these oldies HR freaks to understand that!