Job-Hopping Is More Expected Today

CareerBuilder study indicates that job-hopping is becoming more acceptable

Not long ago being seen as a job-hopper was the kiss of death. But, it seems that times and employer views, are changing which is good news for job seekers.

Short stints at various firms no longer carry the same stigma according to a 2014 study by CareerBuilder. More than half of employers (55 percent) responding to the survey said they have hired a job-hopper and nearly one-third (32 percent) said they expect people to job-hop.

While the study shows that a significant number of employers (43 percent) still won’t consider someone who has moved often, other respondents see advantages to hiring people who have worked for several companies. CareeerBuilder notes that more than half (53 percent) of employers said that job-hoppers tend to have a wide range of knowledge and can adapt quickly (51 percent).

The good news for new graduates is that employers expect younger workers who are still trying to develop a career path to switch jobs more frequently. Nearly half of employers (45 percent) said that when they do hire a new college grad they expect them to stay with the organization two years, or less.

But employer expectations change with a candidate’s age. Many employers (41 percent) said that frequently changing jobs is less acceptable when workers reach their early-to mid-thirties, while others (28 percent) find job-hopping less acceptable after the age of 40. The study also found that by age 35 twenty-five percent of workers have held five jobs or more, while twenty percent of workers 55 and older have held ten jobs or more.

The study showed that some industries, like Information Technology where there is a talent shortage, have a higher percentage of employers who expect workers to job-hop. The top five industries are: Information Technology (42 percent), Leisure & Hospitality (41 percent), Transportation (37 percent), Retail (36 percent), and Manufacturing (32 percent).

For more details on this study visit CareerBuilder