Imagine that you are in the midst of sorting through resumés for a position you’re working diligently to fill and you come across a resumé that is decidedly that of a “job hopper”. As you review it, you can’t help but notice a series of multiple consecutive employers, each with a 1-3 year range of employment.
What is your initial reaction? Do you immediately become hesitant and envision a spattering of red flags decorating the professional document before you? Are you tempted to immediately dismiss the candidate based on long-held beliefs that job hoppers are disloyal or unreliable?
The traditional incentives for staying with one employer for the long haul are becoming obsolete. For example, conventional pension plans are all but vanishing and more common plans such as 401(k)s are easily transferred from one employer to another. Additionally, with the digital age has come an exponential increase in the sheer number and types of professions available. With these changing incentives and corporate landscape has come new opportunities. And more and more workers are taking advantage of these opportunities.
Skilled professionals job hop for a variety of reasons, most of which are tied to increased opportunities for professional growth. And, as it happens, this can be advantageous to you as a hiring manager.
A skilled and successful job hopper is likely to be a flexible and resourceful candidate and a dynamic and ever-evolving employee. They are likely to be top performers who bring with them a wealth of accumulated knowledge, resources and best practices.
The next time you find yourself reviewing the resumé of one, take a moment to consider what value they may be poised to bring to your team, even if only for a few years. Rather than focusing solely on the quantity of employers and lack of tenure, look for indications of success as a whole. Does their resumé demonstrate a history of measurable accomplishments, significant contributions, and positive business results? If so, it may be well worth your while to reach out for an initial interview to learn more.
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