Job hopping - when does it become too much?

d4nz1g

Hello everyone!

I have reached a certain point in my career where I feel like my recent job changes are starting to make me sound like a heavy hopper. This year, I got way less calls than I got the last year in the same period. Maybe the problem is related to the economy of the country as a whole, and not with me.
Here is a brief regarding my career:

7 months - Network Admin (2012-2013)
13 months - IT Security Technician (2013-2014)
7 months - Network Analyst (2014)
7 months - Network Support Analyst (2014-current)

I am on a temp. contract right now, which may be extended until september/october (was extended already, they told me that it would last until march/2015) because the customer really needs workforce on the operations team, but I am bored as hell and not learning anything new. I am thinking about staying here as much as I can, but it is starting to get painful. So I am considering another move.


Am I hopping too much? What would you guys do?

TheFORCE

You are hopping to much.

scaredoftests

Mine is kinda like that, but not by my choice (contract modified etc).

E Double U

Were those all temp/contract roles?

cyberguypr

^ big factor here. If temp/contract that's not hopping.

d4nz1g

Only the last one is a temp role

BradleyHU

i think the days of staying at a firm for 10+ years are long over. I think the norm now is about 4-6 years, then you move on. I'm not saying that ppl don't stay for 10+ years, but with company layoffs & offshoring/outsourcing, or just leaving to get a decent pay increase, or move into another role, job hoping is way more frequent now, and accepted more.

Robobass

I have decided to stay at my current job for at least 2 years. Btwn March 2012 and June 2014 I had 5+ temp/contract (short) jobs. the current one is in excess of 2 years. I want to demonstrate that I can stay at position for more than 11 months.

kohr-ah

If they were contract roles you are fine (I know you said only one was a temp role besides current role )

You are hopping to much. It is OK at first to get career going or better opportunity comes but otherwise you should be doing minimum 18 - 24 months

bigdogz

If all of the positions you left were on your own accord, then yes you are moving around a little too much.

Staying 2-3 years looks better on a resume.

Good Luck!

d4nz1g

Yea, so I should settle down a little.

I think it should be ok if I stay until dec/2016. 2 years completed and nice $$ to keep studying until then.

Codyy

As long as you're making forward progress, hop all you want. If you're making lateral moves, might want to settle unless it's temp stuff.

636-555-3226

I'm suspicious of anybody who works at a place less than 2 years unless they're a contractor, geographically relocate, or have a life change. Mandatory question for our HR phone screening is what's up with the short time at each employer.

Shoe Box

I've had 6 Desktop Support jobs in the last 3 years. Nearly all were contract assignments. Most were 3 months or less. Mainly XP to 7 migrations. I was at one for nearly a year, until I moved from Pittsburgh to Los Angeles, and then it was necessary to leave that job, otherwise I'd still be there. A year later, my girlfriend and I decided to get married, and at that point I HAD to move back to Pittsburgh. I would like to have that long term job back, but I don't regret leaving to go to L.A. .

Every phone call I have with a tech employment agency includes a rehash of my IT job history as a result, and them asking why so many short term assignments.

HailHogwash

Codyy wrote: »

As long as you're making forward progress, hop all you want. If you're making lateral moves, might want to settle unless it's temp stuff.

^^^This.. I see lots of titles - what were the roles/duties on those titles?

d4nz1g

HailHogwash wrote: »

^^^This.. I see lots of titles - what were the roles/duties on those titles?

7 months - Network Admin (2012-2013) - Basic LAN/WAN administration
13 months - IT Security Technician (2013-2014) - Network/Security/Data Center for a hosting MSP
7 months - Network Analyst (2014) - VPN Specialist
7 months - Network Support Analyst (2014-current) - LAN/WAN/Security/Data Center Enterprise administration

thenjduke

You said the last one is a temp/contract. If that is the case you are hoping too much. I always live by the rule 3 years at a company and then leave but I am presently at my current job coming up on 5 years. It is a big company so going to another department is basically like a new position.

Mutata

I don't subscribe to the whole idea of job "hopping". I have a few short stints on my resume and it's never been a problem for me. I tell any HR screen very honestly that something better came along and I didn't hesitate. Just like I tell recruiters I'm always looking for a better opportunity. This weeds out any employers that have no desire to keep you engaged.

Maybe I'm a bit jaded, but at the end of the day your employer could get the same work done for half the price they would. So why wouldn't you do the same / more challenging work for double the price regardless of time invested.

That being said - If I had an employer that invested in me, compensated me appropriately and kept me engaged. I might think differently

markulous

Any time I did an interview I'd look if the job was temp/contract first, and if it wasn't, then I'd look at the job duties of the two. If someone is at a help desk doing password resets, there for 6 months, then gets into a junior sys admin role, there's nothing wrong with that.

d4nz1g

Thank you everyone for your feedback. Unfortunately, most companies here in Brazil don't give a ***t about engaging employees, instead, they believe that money is everything. I am often bored due to inflexibility, low budget for new stuff (we still have about 8~ Cisco PIX lol), low ability to take risks, etc.
Also, in most interviews, they ask me about my constant hoppings and treat it as "unloyalty". HR people (recruiting, in general) over here don't know anything about IT professionals, don't know how to find out if the person actually can do the job, don't know ANYTHING about their requirements (I still get called asked about my CCNA, even if I mention a CCNP on my resume).
In the end, the guy who has been configuring switchports for 20 years seems more suitable for an advanced position than someone who is certified and has been around for 4~ years.

koz24

I have one position on my resume that lasted about 10 months and every interview I've ever been to I'm always asked to explain why my tenure there was so short. I couldn't imagine if I had to explain a bunch of them. I think you're definitely hopping too much. What reasons do you give? I'd practice those so you don't look like a BS'er. A legitimate concern with hiring you is that you'll bolt the new employer in a short time frame as well.

d4nz1g

I tell the truth: money, change of duties, advancing my career.

scaredoftests

I say the economy took a turn for the worst and contract got modified.

jeremywatts2005

I am the king of job hoppers. My resume is peppered with short term jobs. Some contracts and some perm positions. I am also an excellent salesman and can usually get through and interview with no or little questions on my work history. Paint it to the next employer like this. I have skills and a lot of them I got because I changed jobs. You need these skills and the only way you are getting someone with this diversified skill set is someone who changes jobs. Bottom line is the employers know they want that job description as matched as possible. The only way to get it most of the time is with a job hopper. That is why my employer now has valued me so much and kept my salary so high. I can literally learn almost anything utilzing my experience.

chmod

You are moving too much, this is the only temp contract you have the rest were permanet.

Is not bad to make a few moves here and there, sometimes we can make mistakes when choosing a job/company/role. But i personally, i think job hopping gives a bad image of you. Make you look as a person that has no patience, that doesn't know what to expect from a company/job/role, that hasn't a clear career path.

Make sure to have a clear response about this when HR or a hiring manager ask you why you have been moving around so often.

Ask yourself, why can't stay for a year in a company.

Mow

jeremywatts2005 wrote: »

I am the king of job hoppers. My resume is peppered with short term jobs. Some contracts and some perm positions. I am also an excellent salesman and can usually get through and interview with no or little questions on my work history. Paint it to the next employer like this. I have skills and a lot of them I got because I changed jobs. You need these skills and the only way you are getting someone with this diversified skill set is someone who changes jobs. Bottom line is the employers know they want that job description as matched as possible. The only way to get it most of the time is with a job hopper. That is why my employer now has valued me so much and kept my salary so high. I can literally learn almost anything utilzing my experience.

This is a great way to look at it!

olaHalo

Codyy wrote: »

As long as you're making forward progress, hop all you want. If you're making lateral moves, might want to settle unless it's temp stuff.

This
No one can fault you for getting a better job.

I am also a job hopper. It has never came up in an interview. And every move was a step up. Only one of them was a contract job. And the diversified experience has been very helpful.

UnixGuy

jeremywatts2005 wrote: »

I am the king of job hoppers. My resume is peppered with short term jobs. Some contracts and some perm positions. I am also an excellent salesman and can usually get through and interview with no or little questions on my work history. Paint it to the next employer like this. I have skills and a lot of them I got because I changed jobs. You need these skills and the only way you are getting someone with this diversified skill set is someone who changes jobs. Bottom line is the employers know they want that job description as matched as possible. The only way to get it most of the time is with a job hopper. That is why my employer now has valued me so much and kept my salary so high. I can literally learn almost anything utilzing my experience.

I'm really curious...what skills have you learned?

so you accept a permanent job...stay there for few months, learn everything, and then go somewhere else on another permanent job rinse and repeat?

I'd like to know what skills do you learn this way? and why not do short contracts instead? I'm curious because it's something I haven't done, and my last employer didn't take it well when I left after a year and a half (go figure) because I didn't give them heads up that I was looking?! (weird)

Pupil

Mutata wrote: »

I don't subscribe to the whole idea of job "hopping". I have a few short stints on my resume and it's never been a problem for me. I tell any HR screen very honestly that something better came along and I didn't hesitate. Just like I tell recruiters I'm always looking for a better opportunity. This weeds out any employers that have no desire to keep you engaged.

Maybe I'm a bit jaded, but at the end of the day your employer could get the same work done for half the price they would. So why wouldn't you do the same / more challenging work for double the price regardless of time invested.

That being said - If I had an employer that invested in me, compensated me appropriately and kept me engaged. I might think differently

This right here. There's no such thing as loyalty to a company/corporation. That's just something they tell you to maintain the status quo. If you're a skilled worker, the stigma of job hopping will have no bearing on your employability.

Blackout

As long as you can explain why you left each job (Temp/Contract) you are fine. If they were permanent roles then I would be worried.

redworld

Chances are the only way you're getting promoted or a decent bump in pay is to change jobs. I'm still a loyal in that I want the company to get their recruiter's fee worth out of me but 18-24 months in and I have no qualms about looking for advancement elsewhere.