Dos and Don’ts When Explaining Why You Are Job Hopping

Explaining Job HoppingJob hopping, or the practice of changing jobs frequently in a very short period of time, is often thought of as career suicide. Some hiring managers see job hoppers as flaky and unreliable because they changed jobs so many times.

 

However, job hopping might not be the career curse it once was, since nowadays lifelong job security is nearly impossible to find. In the unpredictable job environment we have currently, professionals frequently move to different jobs even if they don’t want to. Most of the time, it’s because they are looking for better ways to develop their skills and experience and avoid dead-end positions.

Since job hopping has become somewhat more acceptable, employers are more open to considering an applicant with multiple recent jobs listed on his or her resume. Still, keep in mind that a consistent history of job hopping can affect your chances of landing a job.

Now, once again, you have to be prepared for the interview – prepared to discuss the reasons why you left every position that’s written on your resume in a way that shows you’re not unreliable or undependable.

Provided below are some dos and don’ts that can help you prepare:

Do’s:

  • Highlight the experiences
    • Having an extensive job history could mean that you are rich in experience, and experience is what make you a capable employee. Focus on the things from your previous positions that helped you to learn and develop as a worker; these are the building blocks of a strong background that will be the key to your next job.
  • Point out your skills
    • Since you’ve been in numerous different jobs, you’ve probably got a few different accomplishments under your belt. Emphasize your well-rounded skills and a little bit of everything you’ve got.
  • Share some information
    • Don’t be afraid to share the information you have at hand. For example, the time you’ve spent with large companies gives you knowledge about the policies and procedures that startup companies may give importance to.

Don’ts

  • Trash-talk about the previous company
    • If you have negative reasons for leaving a job, don’t bother explaining them, as this will only hurt your chances of getting hired. Negativity and blame will raise concerns that will be hard to address. Remain neutral and diplomatic when discussing the reasons why you left a position.
  • Talk about the pay
    • Implying or saying outright that you left your previous jobs to get a higher salary is another way of killing your chances. Hiring managers will always look for candidates who consider money a lower priority.
  • Question your stability
    • “Lack of career growth” will always be a better reason than “boredom.” Don’t let the interviewer question your stability. He or she must not think that job hopping is in your nature. Make sure that you explain how you attempted to make it work with every company before you moved on.

These guidelines can help you address why you left each position on your resume. Put a positive spin on your recent job hopping for success in your upcoming interview.

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Alan Carniol

Alan is the creator of Interview Success Formula, a training program that has helped more than 80,000 job seekers to ace their interviews and land the jobs they deserve. Interviewers love asking curveball questions to weed out job seekers. But the truth is, most of these questions are asking about a few key areas. Learn more about how to outsmart tough interviewers by watching this video.