Although changing jobs often might be a calculated strategy for professional advancement, potential employers may raise an eyebrow when they see your résumé. They want to recruit someone who will dedicate themselves to their business, after all. One thing you must be worrying about is how to explain job hopping.
However, 47% of employers said that the present state of the economy makes job-hopping less of a concern, according to a study. But be ready to discuss it if you’ve changed employment a few times in the last few years.
There are other job-hopping candidates than yourself. Wage and salary workers had been with their present company for a median of 4.2 years. Workers aged 25 to 34 had a tenure of 2.8 years, but those aged 55 to 64 had 10.1 years, more than three times as long. That suggests that attitudes about how long one should stay in a job have changed across generations.
Tips To Explain Your Job Hopping
1. Be Transparent
Whether you like it or not, the question regarding your work history will come up, regardless of whether you’ve had a run of terrible luck or have moved about in pursuit of your real calling. One answer to how to explain job hopping is to be open about the reasons behind your frequent job changes.
Perhaps all you were doing was looking for the next big thing. You needed to get away from a nasty supervisor. Or it’s possible that you were impacted by uncontrollable circumstances, like a layoff. For whatever reason, from the outset, be upfront about it.
Contradicting yourself is the last thing you want to do. It will damage your credibility to claim in a job interview that you left your job for a different reason than the one you stated in your cover letter.
2. Keep It Short
One of the ways to explain job hopping is to provide a succinct justification for your resignation from each position. To put it another way, there’s no need to offer detailed explanations or a play-by-play of what happened.
Also, try not to get too fired up, particularly if the outcome isn’t good. DePuy advises job searchers to create “exit statements,” which are succinct, 25-word summaries of your reasons for leaving a position.
For example: “I wanted to develop my skills in a new area, and my company didn’t have an opportunity for me to do that.” Or “Candidly, when I got settled into my position, I realized the work I was doing wasn’t what was described in the job ad.” You should never disparage a former employer, no matter what you say.
3. Highlight Your Achievements
The next stage in explaining your job switching during an interview is to focus on your contributions and accomplishments from each of your prior positions. Demonstrate how you enhanced results, addressed issues, or contributed value for your customers, coworkers, or employers.
Provide precise instances, figures, or testimonies to support your statements. Explain how you improved, gained knowledge, or acquired new abilities at each position. Stress how your varied experience contributes to your overall well-roundedness and adaptability as a candidate.
4. Tell About The Skills You Gained
If you want a hiring manager to look beyond your job switching, focus the discussion on your experience and the talents you’ve acquired. For every position, be ready to highlight a significant experience and explain how it adds value to your application to the company.
For example: “I learned how to scale a business at [tech startup A].” At [big corporate firm B], I had the opportunity to oversee many projects. And I got to head my team for the first time at [medium-sized, well-established corporation C]. Overall, I would say that these experiences have equipped me for this position.
5. Address Any Gap
Addressing any gaps or discrepancies in your CV is the next answer to how to explain job hopping in an interview. If you have taken time off from work, freelanced, or attended school in between jobs, describe your activities and how they applied to your professional objectives.
If you currently hold any temporary or part-time employment, describe how they contribute to your overall career strategy.
6. Convey Your Interest
To justify your job switching during an interview, you should next convey your excitement and interest in the position and business. Demonstrate that you are knowledgeable about the requirements, in line with the culture and values, and have done your homework.
Describe your excitement for the opportunity and how you plan to use your network, expertise, and talents to help the organization. Communicate your desire for a solid, long-term, and fulfilling job with them.
7. Seek Referrals
One of the ways to explain job hopping, the seventh stage is to get recommendations from customers, coworkers, or prior employers. Building rapport, confidence, and trust with your prospective employer may be facilitated via referrals. They may also provide encouraging comments, suggestions, or endorsements on your performance, work ethic, or disposition.
Seek endorsements from your network, insights from connections, or introductions to the recruiting manager or decision-maker.
8. Be Ready For Objections
Preparing for any interviewer’s objections or concerns is the last stage in explaining job hopping. Get ready with your answers in case they have any questions, concerns, or objections. When speaking with them, project assurance, deference, and professionalism.
Refrain from being negative, defensive, or apologetic. Instead, concentrate on the advantages, chances, and value you can provide the position and the business.
Is Job Hopping A Negative Thing?
Job switching is undoubtedly advantageous. You will have motivations for looking for a new position, such as the need for more income or to take advantage of new learning possibilities. While there is still some stigma associated with frequent job changes, it isn’t as strong as it once was. People in the IT industry have long understood that people are rejecting the idea of a “job for life,” and this is a mindset that is spreading to other places.
There is undoubtedly a drawback, however. Frequently changing employment indicates that you lack expertise in taking on new tasks and are less likely to have finished campaigns or initiatives that will advance your career.
Recruiting managers could be wondering in the meantime whether they’ll have to repeat the recruiting, onboarding, and training procedures sooner than they’d want. Nonetheless, there are certain approaches to how to explain job hopping that can convince the interviewer that you’re a good fit for the position.
FAQ
Q: What makes job hopping the most likely explanation?
A: Rather than giving the impression that you’re quickly bored, clarify that your job switching indicates your constant search for fresh challenges. Make it clear that you are looking for a challenging job, and that you think the position you are applying for fits that description.
Q: What does the term “job hopper” mean?
A: A person who works in one job description temporarily before shifting to another is known as a job hopper. Job-hopping is the pattern of changing interests and employment changes. Job-hoppers often switch firms in search of greater chances after becoming unsatisfied with their current position.
Q: Is changing jobs beneficial to your career?
A: Job switching might be a good way to achieve your objectives of financial progress and diversity. Staying put, however, can be a wiser course of action if your goal is to advance to a senior position within a firm or gain in-depth experience in a certain field.
