People often reject “job hoppers,” early on in the recruitment process.
But what does that phrase even mean?
How many jobs must someone have had to be called a “job hopper” and is it really fair or in fact in your interests, to reject a candidate on this basis?
There’s no easy answer to any of these questions and people have differing opinions on the topic… but one thing is clear, many, many people don’t like hiring them.
(This has forced some candidates to lie, leave out experiences and extend their employment dates.)
Here are my thoughts on the matter…
The Four Different Kinds of Job Hoppers
It’s important to understand that there are 4 main kinds of job hoppers:
- The Unfortunate. Those who have been forced to hop jobs through no fault of their own; perhaps because of redundancy in a declining industry.
- The Ambitious. Those who, for whatever reason, haven’t quite managed to find a company that offers them opportunities to progress and flourish (perhaps they’ve worked for small start-ups).
- The Inexperienced. Those who are new to the job market and just aren’t that sure what they want to do yet. They “hop” in the hope of finding their place within a company and industry.
- The bad eggs. These people hop because they’re pushed out of companies, perhaps they don’t fit in well with others, maybe they’re just not great at what they do, or perhaps they are trouble- makers.
These are the people you really need to watch out for.
So as you can see, there are varying degrees of what one might call job-hopping behaviour. And not all of them are negative.
In fact, if you’re prepared to take a risk and accept a certain level of job hopping, there are some huge benefits. You’ll find them in this week’s infographic…
The Risks
As I said earlier, there are a few risks to hiring job hoppers, including…
- You may have to work harder to get them to stay.
- They might be less committed and passionate about the role.
- They may merely be in it for themselves.
And that’s why some recruiters simply refuse to even consider them. But I think that’s a real shame.
I’ve worked with many a job hopper who’s wowed me and that’s almost always because they have a variety of skills and experiences to bring to the table.
And there are always risks in every kind of recruitment.
The Warning Signs
The point is this; don’t condemn any candidates without first giving them the benefit of the doubt.
Ask the question and see why they’ve felt the need to hop around – and then look out for any warning signs like the following:
- A reluctance to provide references from (all) their previous employers.
- Inability to give reasons for leaving their previous companies.
- Flitting from industry to industry.
What I’m saying is; don’t rule someone out because they seem like a job hopper! But do be wary.
Ask the right questions and test their commitment.
What do you think?
If you’d like to read more recruitment and HR articles like this one, subscribe to this blog today.
Or, if you’d like to find out more about job hoppers, check out these great resources:
- Hiring Job Hoppers: 10 Reasons Why They Are So Very Valuable
- How long should you stay in one job?
- The Pros and Cons of Job Hopping
Good luck.
