Job hopping

[Cius]

Difficult to prove you accomplished much in under 18 months and if you are climbing the career ladder then you should not stay stagnant much longer than 3 years. That was the advice I got from an ex CEO who was doing some lectures at WITS that I attended.

There are however exceptions. For instance if a job was misrepresented or a terrible/dishonest environment then get out ASAP and be proud of it. I left my first job after 4 months as the company was heavily into fencing stolen goods. A year later the cops shut the place down and several people where arrested. Glad I was not there at the time. Another reason to leave earlier is if you are head hunted for a promotion/amazing opportunity. If you people are hunting your skills then its all fine. After graduating I worked for a consultancy and after 18 months a client bought me out from the consultancy. That looks good on my CV not bad. Been at that client in various roles for 7 years now.

 

[reactor_sa]

Anything less than 2 years, twice in a row. That's how my team and our sister team look at it when going through cv's during the interview process. We question people heavily on this when they have short stints of less than a year.

Some people we come across are looking for a new job after less than 6 months, we understand sometimes you find yourself in a **** job but then why still asking for 15% increase? Sorry, you can see when people are just looking for money.

 

[Cius]

Also depends on the place. Some jobs I know my managers went looking for ex consultants who had been all over the show as they wanted someone who knew a lot of systems and options. On the other hand I know that for some jobs here managers want someone stable and reliable and then 5 year + stints at the same company show loyalty.

 

[mercurial]

Want loyalty? Get a dog.

 

[cerebus]

Some people we come across are looking for a new job after less than 6 months, we understand sometimes you find yourself in a **** job but then why still asking for 15% increase? Sorry, you can see when people are just looking for money.

Maybe you're looking for more money because the job is advertised at that salary level and you have the experience to qualify for it, and you actually need a better salary than you currently earn to get by. You end up having to become just a little bit mercenary towards the concept of employee loyalty because life's demands make it a necessity.

And when it becomes clear that you're looking at a situation where you've got a 6% increase and a 20% bonus coming your way this time next year, and the following year, and there's no clear promotional structure in place for you to aim towards, you start looking a bit longingly at all the 20% higher offers that you see floating around online. Why is it acceptable to move jobs for any reason other than salary?

 

[syntax]

I think it depends on the industry and how in demand you are.
I have moved 3 times in under 2 years, and recently got an offer from a 4th company.
They didnt even bring up the fact I have been at so many other companies.

I was asked about it for my current job, and I had valid reasons for leaving the other positions. I also mentioned that I had perhaps done more in the 6 - 12 months that I was at the previous company than some employees do in 3 years.

I would say IT employees tend to move jobs fairly often. This is because they are usually over worked with support, or get horrific increases with the only way of getting a better salary is changing jobs.

 

[cguy]

I think it depends on the industry and how in demand you are.
I have moved 3 times in under 2 years, and recently got an offer from a 4th company.
They didnt even bring up the fact I have been at so many other companies.

I was asked about it for my current job, and I had valid reasons for leaving the other positions. I also mentioned that I had perhaps done more in the 6 - 12 months that I was at the previous company than some employees do in 3 years.

I would say IT employees tend to move jobs fairly often. This is because they are usually over worked with support, or get horrific increases with the only way of getting a better salary is changing jobs.

Absolutely - additionally, it also depends on how you come across in an interview and how good the company hiring process is. I would be wary about joining a company that didn't even ask you about this - in your case, perhaps they got lucky, but who else have they hired? I've found that the companies with the most rigorous interviewing processes to be the ones I most enjoyed working for, due to the quality of my colleagues.

 

[Epilepticus]

Well be honest on your CV, "never diss a previous employer" even if they deserve it - labour law wise, after all most of them try and stiff you over and treat you like dirt, but anyways... HONESTY and to define the reason for leaving as reasonable. Employers and agencies are not stupid they know or can see the market is blegh and people take what they can get, even if it means undercutting yourself and taking on jobs worse than an employer in china.

Just be sure to get reference notes and monthly reviews. Ask for "fair" treatment... and it's within your right to quit if you are being walked over, example: Late payments, unreasonableness, etc. Not saying $$ fairness but being treated with respect.

 

[Sonic2k]

I went for an interview last year and was aggressively labelled as a job-hopper when the interviewer looked at my last job...

I'd been there for SIX years and had left in order to relocate provinces.

I didn't get the job and I have no regrets.

WtF?

A recruitment agency once told me because I don't have a degree, I have a very low qualification.
I told him to go F**K himself, walked out and never saw them again.

 

[JacquesZA]

Depends on job too...

 

[cerebus]

So updates... a job came up that seemed ideal, so I interviewed and was told yesterday that they want to make an offer. It's 7km from home (compared to 50km and a 3 hour daily commute currently) and at least from the ad, it's a salary bump. Waiting to hear the offer and I hope it doesn't disappoint as I can't imagine how much nicer life will be without the cpt commute to deal with.

 

[ToxicBunny]

So updates... a job came up that seemed ideal, so I interviewed and was told yesterday that they want to make an offer. It's 7km from home (compared to 50km and a 3 hour daily commute currently) and at least from the ad, it's a salary bump. Waiting to hear the offer and I hope it doesn't disappoint as I can't imagine how much nicer life will be without the cpt commute to deal with.

That could be good...

I would love to work closer to home as well.... the saving in time and money would make a huge difference

 

[Maverick Jester]

So updates... a job came up that seemed ideal, so I interviewed and was told yesterday that they want to make an offer. It's 7km from home (compared to 50km and a 3 hour daily commute currently) and at least from the ad, it's a salary bump. Waiting to hear the offer and I hope it doesn't disappoint as I can't imagine how much nicer life will be without the cpt commute to deal with.

Good luck, hope that it pans out for you.

 

[Chevron]

Good luck, hope that it pans out for you.

I think we all worry that the grass looks greener because there's more **** on the lawn.

But sometimes you luck out

 

[OrbitalDawn]

So updates... a job came up that seemed ideal, so I interviewed and was told yesterday that they want to make an offer. It's 7km from home (compared to 50km and a 3 hour daily commute currently) and at least from the ad, it's a salary bump. Waiting to hear the offer and I hope it doesn't disappoint as I can't imagine how much nicer life will be without the cpt commute to deal with.

Cautiously optimistic. That new commute would be wonderful.

 

[mercurial]

So updates... a job came up that seemed ideal, so I interviewed and was told yesterday that they want to make an offer. It's 7km from home (compared to 50km and a 3 hour daily commute currently) and at least from the ad, it's a salary bump. Waiting to hear the offer and I hope it doesn't disappoint as I can't imagine how much nicer life will be without the cpt commute to deal with.

Awesome. Hope it pans out for you.

 

[mike6870]

Anything less than 2 years, twice in a row. That's how my team and our sister team look at it when going through cv's during the interview process. We question people heavily on this when they have short stints of less than a year.

Some people we come across are looking for a new job after less than 6 months, we understand sometimes you find yourself in a **** job but then why still asking for 15% increase? Sorry, you can see when people are just looking for money.

"Looking for money" is bad?

 

[cerebus]

"Looking for money" is bad?

Yeah I can't wrap my head around that one either. Life is expensive. But I guess it means that people who show a pattern of moving quickly for purely monetary reasons can't be seen as reliable employees.

 

[geezer]

I would not know, seeing I have been at the same employer for 30 years, 6 months and 6 days!

 

[Cius]

Yeah I can't wrap my head around that one either. Life is expensive. But I guess it means that people who show a pattern of moving quickly for purely monetary reasons can't be seen as reliable employees.

Also, in my experience the companies that pay the staff more also treat the staff better. Its about respect and it shows in many ways. Underpaid people often have worse working conditions than people who are paid decently (in my experience) as if a company thinks you are worth less than the industry average they sometimes also treat you like trash. Not always the case but I have seen it happen. This is why I thinks its best to move if you are unhappy with salary/work conditions.