I’ve changed jobs a lot and my resume reflects as much.

42 Comments

1. Audrey KirschAugust 20,2022 at 3:43PM UTC

   Talk about your role and what you’ve learned at each job that will make you a good fit for the job you are applying for.

2. JJAugust 20,2022 at 4:41PM UTC

   How many can you take off? You will have to explain the gaps but an employer who has a no-gap mentality is going to be one of the ones you end up quitting after 4 months.

3. AnonymousAugust 20,2022 at 7:42PM UTC

   Well I took off a few.
   Probably can take off more as I’ve been in my field almost 18 years. If I can put the last 10 years of jobs, that would help.

4. PatriciaAugust 24,2022 at 9:32AM UTC

   I have been in my field (IT) for over 30 years and have contracted for over 17 years..... some roles only lasted a few months. I only list the last 10 years. When I have had short contracts I enter a brief explanation, after the role.

   For example "Knowledge Manager (Backfill for short secondment)" ; "PMO Administrator (Maternity Leave)"; "IT Program Manager (3 Month Upgrade Project Contract)".

   I found this helps as the recruiter or hiring manager understand the reason behind the short stint, and often skip the interrogation. It also helps you prepare an explanation in advance if they do probe.

5. Joanne RosenAugust 20,2022 at 7:19PM UTC

   Why DID you job hop? Was each new position a higher level than the last? If so, that's easy. "I couldn't move ahead at XYZ company."

   However, it if was simply because you didn't like working there, it looks bad. When you land that next job, you need to stay at least 2 years. (Career coach advice)

6. AnonymousAugust 20,2022 at 7:39PM UTC

   Most were due to small business struggling/failing due to downturns in the economy and covid salary cuts (current employer is beginning to struggle financially also) - I need to pick bigger companies that are sustainable clearly.

   Only one was because I was being pushed into duties when I explicitly went to that job to learn new things but they wanted to put me into a box I was trying to escape…

7. SunnySuperAugust 22,2022 at 1:38PM UTC

   With all of the advice out there then being to keep moving, don't expect to keep up salary-wise unless you keep moving regularly, keep your options open and essentially start looking again as soon as you land a job is the sweet spot then 2 years to stay?

   I had a prior 10 year position and a recent 5 year position and have been told those work against me and never stay that long, but others have said job hopping every couple of years or so looks bad. So much conflicting info out there and makes is difficult to craft an "acceptable" response such as the OP is asking.

8. Joanne RosenAugust 23,2022 at 4:07PM UTC

   I don't know how told you those work against you but it's totally not true. I work with a network of over 3,000 recruiters. Not one of them says that a longer term position is a negative.

   They will say that staying at a job less than a year is a negative because that means the company spent 3 months training you, when your output was less than 100%. That costs money. Hiring a recruiter to find new candidates costs money.

   Even if you are headhunted, you still want to go to your current employer and explain what is happening and ask if they can match the offer.

   No, staying 2 years at a company is not the sweet spot. You should, after that time, have gotten a promotion. If not, then maybe you are just a "meh" employee.

   The idea is to show a career progression whether at the same company or, if necessary, moving. There is no acceptable answer because there is no single hiring criteria. It depends on the next company.

   Cheers

   Joanne Rosen, MAAC

   https://www.analyticadvantagecc.com

9. Stephanie LekowskiAugust 20,2022 at 7:53PM UTC

   Ugh, I feel your pain! Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse your answers! I tried to "wing it" but you need to have a really good, NONAPOLOGETIC or defensive answer for why you left a position and why you know (not think) wherever you're interviewing will be a great fit for both you and the employer. If you do all that and they still give you a difficult time that's their loss.

10. TeenieAugust 20,2022 at 8:00PM UTC

    Looking from an interviewer point of view, here is what I think everytime I see anyone who has hopped jobs -

    1. They probably took the job without understanding what was reqd
    2. They were actively job hunting instead of trying to make it work
    3. They will jump for the smallest of issue / salary increment/ tough situation

    how do I guarantee that they will like where Im trying to land them, that they will stay, that they will try and make it work... that they won't be still out there job hunting.

    Do you have responses for these questions? Think like this and try and figure this out yourself as well.

11. Crystal HowellAugust 20,2022 at 8:07PM UTC

    If the jobs are within the year, Career Break and not show them, explain them in the interview if needed.

    Always show dates 2021-2022 , on resume.

    Interview is like a date, let's talk and discuss and see if we are a good fit. Casual Chat, goes a long way, never volunteer information

12. AnonymousAugust 20,2022 at 11:57PM UTC

    Hopping around to one or two jobs is understandable but I sense you have a long list to explain. At some point, the interviewer is going to ask you why you continue to choose the same kind of unstable small businesses given these repeat patterns. As others have said, you’re going to need a more authentic / creative answer than what you’ve provided in this post.

    I’d encourage you to apply the lens of self awareness to truly figure out why you continue to gravitate to these risky positions. What patterns do you see with these employers and why do you continue to seek these jobs knowing they’ll likely end in failure?

    If I were interviewing for a new role, with these circumstances, I’d state the obvious: my employment history has been unstable and I attribute this to XYZ. I look like a risky hire but I’ve learned XYZ from my past experience snd this time will be different because I’m going to (fill in the blanks) take advantage of workplace professional development, seek regular feedback from my manager, send weekly status updates, etc.

    Best of luck in your search.

13. AnonymousAugust 21,2022 at 12:19PM UTC

    How many years does your jobs go back. If it is more than 10 yrs limit it to that. For the longest time I would go back 20 yrs and for only the first 10 I did some hopping too for the same reason. As far as explaining if a company was dissolved or financially unstable, write that on the resume to eliminate the guess work. They did reduction in staff put those brief descriptions at the very top of each entry. For the jobs where your boss was toxic, just say you found that you did not have the support that you needed or that you did not think it was the right fit for your skillset. Things like this does happen. I would just say on your future job hunts you have to interview them as well. Ask them what do they do to grow their employees, how often do you get 1 on 1 time. Are their mentorship programs. Ask if you can walk around and spend a few hrs taking to a peer look at the environment do they look happy and excited to engage you or do they look miserable. Picking a job environment is sort of like picking a home. If it needs repairs and is unstable you would want to know upfront before accepting an offer.

14. KileySeptember 1,2022 at 8:03PM UTC

    Good advice.

15. Amy HolmesAugust 21,2022 at 11:55PM UTC

    (In addition to the other comments).

    I would talk about what you’ve learned about companies and yourself as a result of the job hopping, and how you are applying that knowledge to your current search so that you can acquire a stable job at a stable company this time. Then talk about the features of their company that tell you it’s a good one to work for. Then you can go into the skills you learned at the other jobs and knowledge you have developed that applies to the job that you’re applying for.

    Everyone makes mistakes and if you can show them that you’ve learned something from your mistakes and have been productive with that knowledge it’s a big win for you. Companies need people who learn from mistakes instead of hiding them.

16. AnonymousAugust 22,2022 at 12:21PM UTC

    Check out Adam Karpiak on LinkedIn for resume advice.

    Only include the last 10 years and only use years instead of months.

    Focus on what you learned in the roles, communicate that instability was a common challenge and that you are looking for stability in order to grow.

    Don’t stress the word “hop” - in certain fields (coding) it is expected. If the employer is distracted by the changes and can’t see your value, that’s all the information you need.

    Note to those who hire: not everyone “hops” because they want to. Let’s not pretend employers’ are prioritizing individual support and growth.

17. GirlBossanova934974August 22,2022 at 12:36PM UTC

    In your reply to comments, you seem to have answered your own question. You took jobs with very small companies that failed or were in jeopardy of failing. There is no shame in saying that. You are NOW looking for more STABLE companies and areas of employment. I own a small business in the travel industry and I could write a small book on what it took to keep going in the 2-3 years. Now things are absolutely wonderful and orders are pouring in like Niagara Falls but 2020-2021, that was not even terrible. Just a final note, there are a few employers out there who think YOU control the economy and business conditions. I wouldn't bother with them.

18. AnonymousAugust 22,2022 at 12:46PM UTC

    This is a very common interview question. Even if you have not “job hopped”, it is common to be asked to walk through your career moves and talk about your “journey”. This is an opportunity for them to get to know you. If I were you, I would explain your experience with start-up companies. Everyone understands that not all start-ups are successful, but it takes a certain type of person to take that risk and give it a try. Emphasize what you have learned with each experience, and don’t focus on the negative. Good luck!

19. AnonymousAugust 22,2022 at 12:48PM UTC

    When looking at a resume I do pay attention to that. I will still phone screen. I do prefer to see month and year rather than just the years. Seeing just the year throws a red flag up to me and I’m wondering if it was only a couple of months, or what happened? We just had to fire someone because they were legitimately causing issues with harassment of colleagues and clients. When I went to look at their resume (I was there when hired), all it had were years and no months attached. I also just hired someone who appeared to have job hopped, but when I asked about it they were trying to find their place and what they enjoyed doing. Made sense. They are one of our best and most successful team members.

20. Vanda LeeAugust 22,2022 at 1:44PM UTC

    Just an FYI a lot of us are putting the number of years on resume vs the year to fight ageism. It’s alive & well & putting actual month & year indicates your age in some circumstances.

21. jenrignani@gmail.comAugust 22,2022 at 2:06PM UTC

    Agree - ageism is rampant - LinkedIn is flawed, automated application processes are flawed, and its all so ridiculous because experience is absolutely platinum in terms of making a workplace better!!!

22. Vanda LeeAugust 22,2022 at 10:38PM UTC

    Yep! I got a rejection letter last week where I was an 87% match AND had a personal connection that forwarded my resume & CL to the hiring mngr. They had 26 applicants but reposted in a larger mkt "for a larger pool" . This is a remote sales territory where I reside smack dab in the center. It's crazy! I have 35 yrs of excellent experience.

23. Kristen ScanlonAugust 22,2022 at 9:55PM UTC

    That is true. Except I’m looking at the most recent year of experience back 5 to 10 years. I fought that for my own job search and did a different kind of resume where I focused on the job experience and then below I put the companies and the years worked there. It was different but it worked.

24. Afo Ogbeyalu KaluAugust 22,2022 at 12:54PM UTC

    My advice would be to rework your resume into a "functional format" vs a more traditional chronological/reverse chronological one. The functional resume highlights skills-set. I suggest doing this as it should help condition you into discussing your value in terms of roles played instead of where/how long your stint was at a particular organization. During your interviews, with your function-based resume as your guide, discuss career highlights in terms of achievements, ex: "While at ABC industries, I was a key member of a team which helped company realize 30% growth . . . my specific role was . . . "https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/resumes-cover-letters/functional-resume-tips-and-examples

25. PatriciaAugust 24,2022 at 9:14AM UTC

    I tried that many years ago and was told that it was too confusing and to restructure it into a chronological order. Why was it confusing? The functional resume format was created to cover up gaps in an applicant's experience and recruiters know it. They will skip straight down to the work history to try and figure what you're hiding.

26. Afo Ogbeyalu KaluAugust 24,2022 at 1:12PM UTC

    Your key phrase is "many years ago" . . . . The functional resume is utilized more now. There are a lot more gig and agency workers in the mix, there are industries with inherently high turnover and/or prone to lay-offs (resulting in more short stints on resumes), tracking software can populate online job applications with functional resume format, as well as, more traditional formats, and now more than ever, hiring managers and leadership at organizations are focused on candidate's "value add" which is determined by skills-set and applied knowledge. I find that clients mastering communication of their roles/contributions/impact at/towards/on an organization, are the more successful job hunters. By utilizing the functional resume format, she/they are not "hiding information' . . . . the idea is to prepare a candidate for behavioral interviewing . . . . .

27. PatriciaAugust 28,2022 at 2:12PM UTC

    Perhaps it depends on the industry or the country.
    IT recruiters in Australia seem to hate them, even today - and I have been contracting since 1998. It can cause suspicion in recruiters because they want to see the months and years in chronological order. They are happy to tell you about the short stints on offer - but don't want to see them on your resume, which is why I often refuse them. You only need a few short stints to raise flags - they expect that that role will be extended.... However, in my experience if the role is less than 6 months to start with, they never extend.

    I have been studying to move into a different IT role and even that raises flags..... apparently a post-graduate degree that's not related to your undergraduate degree (data science vs IT project management) is not considered "value-add". As for behavioural interviewing, that forms a small part of the interview process in IT (in my experience)... they are more interested in technical skills and how well you manage a budget.

28. Afo Ogbeyalu KaluAugust 29,2022 at 4:51AM UTC

    Now I understand "the disconnect". A functional resume does not necessarily omit dates, chronologically or reverse chronologically. It is just a reworking of the document, showcasing skills and career highlights in beginning/top of resume.

    Behavioral Interviewing is a technique which also highlights skills, technical and/or soft skills, by going into detail about how said skills or expertise is utilized on the job (real, applied knowledge vs discussing hypothetical scenarios).

29. Gretchen SkalkaAugust 22,2022 at 2:16PM UTC

    Anytime you are asked to do this, focus on ONE thing and ONE thing only - what you found most helpful or got the most enjoyment out of at X job that relates to Y position you're interviewing for.

    Employers do not ask these questions to get to know why you left other jobs. They ask because they're trying to get a better idea of your working skills and how you might apply those to their position.

    Remember - they're interviewing you for their role, not for one you left. Anything they ask is to get information that can be relevant to their role and how you will bring value to it.

    And, don't worry about being tagged a job hopper. There was a time when that was a bad thing. OLDEN TIMES.

    People stay at jobs now 2-4 years, depending on age, industry and other factors.

    Most employers don't care about that. And the ones that do are valuing some sort of mythological employee loyalty more than the value the employee brings to the role. You don't want to work for those companies or businesses.

    It will be ok.

    Focus on the things that brought you satisfaction and gave value back - and talk about those. :)

30. AnonymousAugust 22,2022 at 2:32PM UTC

    They actually do ask to find out why you left and why there are so many short term positions because they don't want to hire someone that they will invest time and money who will leave in 4-6 months or even a year.
    She needs to explain why she left so they realize she isn't a job hopper. And yes comp iez still look at resumes and see job hoppers if the position was under 2 years. It isn't old school and I certainly wouldn't tell her not to work for a company that area about that because there are a lot that do. They will ask about what she did at those jobs if they want to know skills . But if they ask to go through each job and why she left she needs to answer that question as well. Say things like company was going through a transition and didn't feel stable. Or location closed, or compensation wasn't as promised. You can even say it wasnt the right fit as long as that isn't the answer for all of them

31. KileyAugust 23,2022 at 8:19AM UTC

    Great advice.

32. Ashley M. MagesAugust 22,2022 at 2:42PM UTC

    Be confident in the path you've taken and explain it was not a good fit for you are you are looking for something else. You have learned a lot about what works for you and what doesn't. You have gained skills of navigating less than ideal situations. Instead of saying what was wrong state what was missing that you wanted. "I wanted a more organized environment". For a place that treated people like crap, I've found the phrase "I wanted a place that reflected my values better." After saying this I often state that PEOPLE are the most important asset and should be treated as such. Good luck!

33. AnonymousAugust 22,2022 at 3:14PM UTC

    Only list jobs relevant to the one for which you are applying on your resume. Remove months and only put the years of employment (June 2017 - January 2018 = 2017 - 2018)

34. Brenda Booth ChapmanAugust 22,2022 at 10:32PM UTC

    Sorry, but as someone who reviews resumes this is a flag for me. If you can explain the issues, maybe. Job hoppers are risky. In my opinion. Will you just hop to another job in a few months. Why would you stay with us as opposed to your other employers?

35. AnonymousAugust 22,2022 at 11:03PM UTC

    Could I ask if your answer would be the same if multiple years? I have 2008 to 2012, 2012 to 2020, then 2020 to current, listed on my résumé with no months. Would that concern you, or only if it were very short term stays?

36. AnonymousAugust 25,2022 at 1:23PM UTC

    That would not be a red flag to me because of how many years are with each one. The red flag happens when there are so many jobs and they are the same year, or one after another like 2018 - 2019.

37. AnonymousAugust 23,2022 at 9:47PM UTC

    I hear u but I'm in an industry that does frequent lay offs (o&g) it sucks to have that used against u!

38. Connie ChaffinsAugust 22,2022 at 7:04PM UTC

    Not sure if this applies to you, but when I interview a candidate with a lot of shorter tenures and ask that question, I am more than satisfied if they can point to increasing responsibility, exposure or scope with each position. If you are able to paint that picture, you look like a curious learner who knows her own value.

39. AnonymousAugust 23,2022 at 12:37AM UTC

    I agree with the advice to attribute your “job hopping” to career advancement (learn new skills, higher compensation), if you can. You can also reveal the cases in which the employer’s financial instability played a role.

    You will gain nothing by mentioning abusive bosses. I would not discuss this in a job interview.

40. AnonymousAugust 25,2022 at 6:47PM UTC

    Tell them you have ambition. No one’s kept you engaged enough to stay. You want to grow. Accept new challenges. If the reason for leaving was financial, lack of advancement, or crappy management, tell them you’re looking for a company with a proven track record for stability.

    Don’t forget you’re essentially interviewing them too. They have to be a good fit for you. Now we’re all about to feel awkward and uncomfortable. Mention the reviews. Who had that position before you? How many had it? What was their outcome? We’re they promoted? Did they quit? Employers have red flags. Does that company show up again and again looking for the same position? Ask why.

41. Lynda BoothAugust 28,2022 at 4:42PM UTC

    COVID changed how Recruiters look at job history. There were so many layoffs and changing jobs. People also took time off for family and schooling their children. It is not seen as negative as it was in the past. You don't have to explain why you left a job unless they ask you. When you answer, focus on the job not the people. Talking negatively about a previous employer is a red flag.

42. Angie MartinAugust 30,2022 at 12:39PM UTC

    In this case, I'd focus on the positive aspects of your positions and emphasize that you are looking for the best fit you can find with a new position. If a company you worked for became insolvent, that is a good thing to disclose.

    "I was laid off because of financial difficulties at XYZ Widget Co. and found a new position at ABC Whirlybird LLC, a startup that wasn't a terrific fit. I did really love their products and mission, but unfortunately, the startup culture isn't for me. That's why I'm applying for Director of Cogs at AAA Cog Inc. You're an established company that I hope has the structure I'm looking for in a new role."