Why Frequent Job Changes May Not Be Bad For Your Career

John Krautzel
Posted by •


Conventional wisdom states that employers consider frequent job changes on the part of a prospective employee to be negative. Job hopping supposedly indicates that a person lacks reliability or loyalty to his employer. However, opinions are increasingly beginning to change on this subject, with hiring managers holding a more open mind when they see frequent job changes on an applicant's resume. In fact, frequent job changes might even be good for your career. Here's why.

Willingness to Take Risks

Just because an employee stays in the same job forever doesn't mean that he's happy at work or throwing himself into the job with full gusto. Many people stick with their jobs out of fear of the unknown. A person who changes jobs often demonstrates a willingness to take risks and try new things, qualities that can be extremely attractive and valuable to an employer, especially in creative, entrepreneurial or marketing fields.

Smart Response to a Weak Economy

While the economy is in recovery mode as of 2015, many years of recession have made it hard for some smaller companies in particular to stay afloat. Those who stayed with their sinking ships often ended underemployed or simply out of work as their employers closed their doors for good. Job applicants who show frequent job changes on their resumes may have been the smart ones, recognizing the negative warning signs at their companies and jumping ship in time to save themselves. Employers may want to recognize and reward the quick thinking of such applicants.

Additional Skills and Achievements

An employee with a history of frequent job changes may have picked up far more in the way of additional skills and experience than a person who has stayed in the same spot handling exactly the same responsibilities for many years. An employee with greater skills and experience is clearly of more value to an employer. If your resume makes you look like you've been job hopping, make sure your cover letter deals with any questions an employer may raise by pointing out how you have grown and become more skilled through the variety of positions in which you've worked.

Adaptability

In today's rapidly changing marketplace, the ability to go with the flow and change strategies on the fly can be a greatly valued attribute in an employee. Those who've undergone frequent job changes are supremely adaptable, having had to adjust to the different company cultures, processes and procedures with each change of position.

If you've gone through frequent job changes, step back from your resume to think about what you've learned through your experiences. Find ways in which your varied job experience can be seen as an asset by a prospective employer, and don't be shy about pointing out the value of your experience. As employers continue to change their attitudes regarding frequent job changes, you should find others appreciating what you bring to your new position.

 

Photo courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net


 
Comment

Become a member to take advantage of more features, like commenting and voting.

Register
Sign In
  • Mikhail Anderson
    Mikhail Anderson •

    I agree with this article very much. As I am a testament tot his article. I have been job hopping to support myself and my family, yes it is difficult at times, however it has molded me into being as adaptable as I ever was. I am able to blend in indefinitely to be a responsible hard worker. While learning am any different skills and attributes along the way. Being able to take all of those skills and mending them together into a huge melting pot to actually step away from A job and focus on your own career path. This coming from an entrepreneur.

  • Alberto R.
    Alberto R. •

    well not me i love to work always ready for thing

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson •

    @Jacqueline so very true. I couldn't have said it better myself. The issue for many of the older workers though is that they feel that their identity is tied in with their job. Older workers come from a generation where you start a job @17 and work the same job, same company until you retire. That's the way it was with our parents and grandparents. It's hard to grasp that changing jobs is normal in today's society. But you are absolutely correct in that adaptability is a key trait to have for any job today. It will take time for the older generation to realize this as they struggle with separating their identity from their job. Thanks again.

  • Jacqueline Minarick
    Jacqueline Minarick •

    There is a lot of double talk out there in employment land from economists and employers insisting that positions that are full time, stable, and well paying still exist. For several years now that hasn't been true and one stable position that pays enough money has been very elusive for millions of people. I finally found a way around that and it happened by my taking a seasonal merchandising position in which I thrived and I performed incredibly well. The great experience is at the top of my resume and now I receive leads from the internet employment sites because I have experience that is adaptable to a wide variety of workplaces. In this age of temporary workers and workplaces I think it's best to take every chance that comes along and look into every opportunity for employment because it is necessary to change jobs often and the sooner that people realize this the better off they will be for letting go of the old way of thinking that a job will last for decades.

Jobs to Watch