Is Job hopping really that bad?

Jobs today do not last as they used to a generation before. No more do you hear of a person who entered an organization at an entry level, dedicated the entire career life, growing with organization and finally retiring from the same organization.

In the past few years job-hopping has become so rampant across the industries that even a four year stint is considered a stable job. The front-runners of this phenomenon are IT industry where often job seekers change their jobs every year. It’s a common thing to be on your 5th job within the first five years after graduating. Thanks to the booming job market, they get placed back into the industry very easily.

All said and done, is job hopping really bad? There is a divided opinion here. Many recruiters now do not automatically chuck your resume away if you are a job hopper. They feel that job hoppers are not what have been propagated as branded “slackers.” Both organizations and individuals look for a fit when it comes to recruiting. It is only that the fit here does not match. More than ever before, young graduates do not understand their career aspirations and land into jobs they are not suited for. Employer loyalty has touched the lowest and they easily shift to another job instead of contemplating the reasons behind their short-lived stint. With such aimless job hopping, they tend to loose their shine and many recruiters turn them down. These recruiters have a strong reason behind this harsh decision. They do not want to waste their time and money to train someone who has a tendency of leaving the job. Ankit Kohli, a Senior Manager with a well known recruiting company adds, “Most recruiters want to know whether the jobseeker has a good story to tell or not. As in why they left the previous job. Until they have a logical answer to it, they stand a chance of becoming a part of the organization.”

In some professions like retail or creative fields like advertising, job-hopping is un-avoidable. It is often also possible that the job a job seeker joined may be different from the job advertised for. But Ankit suggests here that no matter what, a job seeker should try to stick to one job for a full year. A performance review from the company you wish to leave may help you in reasoning your leaving the job. This will even provide ample time for both you and your organization to solve the current problems you are facing.

Ankit adds that the best way to avoid job hopping behavior is rash decisions. Generally a graduate does not do the homework necessary before joining the job. Due to their lack of understanding of the job offer, they soon realize that their current job is not gratifying enough as they had expected. Anupama, a recruitment agent agrees with Ankit and feels that you might not be able to figure out the whole picture of the organization you are interested in working with, and where you fit in that picture. But you can always take time to understand the organizational goals and affirm that your goals fit, if not exactly to the organization you wish to choose to work with.

Somya, an HR consultant feels that when it comes to saving the day for a job hopper, the best way out is target the first job. It is difficult to compare the benefits of having a long tenure at ones’ first job, if you have a good start you probably have a reason to rejoice. She explains that in India we follow an Inventory Model when we talk about measuring the knowledge quotient in a person. According to this model, knowledge is added through higher studies, storing and applying this knowledge once you start working. Thus, the first job becomes important as it reflects the knowledge you gained in the area of your specialization. The multiplicity in terms of the quality and quantity of work you lay your hands on during the first job is beyond comparison. As you move towards specializing in your career pursuits, your first jobs remain the only time when you actually do a lot of non-specialized work. She adds that successful first jobs often lead to successful careers. First jobs are great teachers. The first job is a crucial factor when we discuss a prospective job seeker for our clients; a two to five year stint is ideal match for us. So make the most of your first job, as this time spent might as well help you in your future prospects.