Job Hopping Candidates

[Anonymous]

I'm very dubious of people who say they've had meaningful contributions to an organization from 6-9 months of working there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:it would not bother me. It has been a strange few years.

Yes this

[Anonymous]

Wouldn't get an interview from me. For me, two consecutive jobs with less than one year is a non-starter. I have no problem with one stepping stone position, but after that, you need to stay in a job for at least a year, preferably 2+ years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:His/her timeline is: Finished MBA in 2020, worked job #1 for 9 months, #2 for 6 months, #3 for 15 months, and has been at the current for 6 months.

Justifications seem legit & there is clear career growth. Gave great technical answers to questions & seems like it would be a good fit.

Excuse for leaving job 1: Graduated during the pandemic and took the job that was available in an industry that was not.
Excuse for leaving job 2: Was recruited from job 1 on a contract bases. 6 Months.
Excuse for leaving job 3: Was recruited for job 4 to lead a bigger division, has good references from this position. Position i'm hiring for is in the same industry.
Excuse for leaving job 4: Said 'could stick with this position for years. Good pay, good boss, full time work from home, just the work is unfulfilling and industry isn't ideal.


I want to take the risk here. We urgently need someone on board, but my panel is old school and thinks we go with someone else.

And yet, here they are, interviewing for other jobs. Basically, their statement is likely designed to have you think that they're more stable than they really are. I wouldn't hire them because it's hard to believe that my job would somehow be the perfect job for them that would cause them to stay for an extended period. I wouldn't want to spend my time and energy training someone who will be gone in in 6 months because some other job appeared to be better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you cool with it if they take the job and leave within a year? If so, make the offer. If not, hire someone else.

This.

[Anonymous]

She’s articulate and persuasive, but produces nothing. I think someone like that is a manipulative.

[Anonymous]

That would be taking a pretty big risk. Could pay off. Most likely won't, and could be a real problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wouldn't get an interview from me. For me, two consecutive jobs with less than one year is a non-starter. I have no problem with one stepping stone position, but after that, you need to stay in a job for at least a year, preferably 2+ years.

Agree…especially after grad school. Back-to-back-to-back roles that are really short raise red flags. I’ve been accused of jumping too soon on this board and my shortest role was 2 years 7 months.

[Anonymous]

Many in the under 35 set will tell you this is the new normal.

Not sure if that's really true, or if that's just a bunch of 28 year olds justifying job hopping, and they're too young for it to have caught up with them.

Even if it is somehow socially acceptable now (not saying it is), it doesn't mean it's good for the employer.

You should assume they will leave within a year. And you should assume they have developed zero skills during their past 4 jobs (because you can't develop skills in 6 months). So how valuable would it be to you to have essentially a straight-out-of-MBA-skill-set who will leave in 6-12 months? If that's more trouble than it's worth, don't bother interviewing.

I also agree, anyone can schmooze their way through an interview on this question and it's meaningless what they tell you. The kind of person who job hops successfully every 6 months is the kind of person who would actually be really good at BS'ing in an interview.

[Anonymous]

Job hopping IS the new normal. Younger people recognize that companies won’t look out for them and fire them without notice if needed so they don’t feel any loyalty. I hopped around a bit while finding my footing after college (during the recession). It took a few jobs to find out what I really wanted to do and who I wanted to work for. I’d give them a chance but treat them well and make sure pay stays competitive otherwise they might leave after a year. I’d say they will likely stay longer in their next position because they worry about their resume and short tenures so it might work out.

[Anonymous]

I agree that talent gets recruited so I would talk to the folks that she says recruited her to see if that story matches up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My resume looks a bit like this and it’s because I’m not very good at my job and I leave before they can fire me.

Anyone with a history like this is because they are not good at their job.

OP since you are desperate and need a body, you could hire and keep looking for the right candidate. This person will be gone in 12 months after having done very little.

[Anonymous]

Younger people do job hop more, but I feel that less than 2 years for the last few jobs is a red flag. This person doesn't know what they want or has no commitment and it will end up with you replacing their role sooner than later.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Younger people do job hop more, but I feel that less than 2 years for the last few jobs is a red flag. This person doesn't know what they want or has no commitment and it will end up with you replacing their role sooner than later.

This. Nothing wrong with changing jobs every 2-3 years. But this many jobs in 3 years isn’t a job hopper. This is a performance problem. Zero ability to verify they weren’t actually fired from all the jobs they “left”.

[Anonymous]

Let me guess-she’s a super attractive young woman in a primarily make dominated field?