The danger of changing jobs too often

Have you ever wondered why it’s standard practice to place the number of years served at a company on your CV and why you are usually asked that question during interviews? The reason is that how long you stay at a job says a lot about you to your potential employer.

If you are a serial job-hopper, be warned, recruiters and potential employers can see this as a red flag.

Jackie Launder, the Managing Director at Mindcor Executive Search, says job-hopping “creates the impression that the candidate does not see things through and therefore may be good at starting things but not good at finishing."

According to Jackie, you should stay in a position for at least three years. “Typically, a candidate would take one year to find their feet and start something, one year to embed and succeed and one year to measure true value and impact. This would be two performance cycles providing enough data and track record of an individual’s career and impact. Track record and impact is most critical,” says Jackie.

Leaving too soon unfortunately not only impacts you negatively but also “impacts business continuity”, says Jackie.

She says that it is “not only financially costly, but also hugely disruptive to the environment and its customers and the more senior the person the more impact this will have.”

Jackie says another impression job-hopping gives, is that you are only concerned about making more money. “More organisations are looking at people who are committed to the organisational purpose,” and not just serving themselves.

So, although it is good to change jobs and grow in your career, it is always good to show potential employers that you are going to be an asset to their company and are a reliable employee.

READ: How long should you stay at a job?