 breeking
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| Joined: 13 Jan 2006 |
| Total Posts: 56 |
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What does job-hopping reveal about you?
Posted: 20 Feb 2006 10:08 PM |
I found this article on the internet from askmen.com (Should You Job Hop?) and since I know that many people job hop for whatever reason and because company loyalty has gone out of the window, this article suggests why you should not job hop from the big picture point of view. Job hopping may reveal to potential employers this information about you:
1. A perception of volatility
No sane employer wants to take on someone who has a history of disloyalty. Don't kid yourself; that is the perception you give off .
2. A perception of incompetence
What else is an employer to think when you have work experience from ten firms? You look bad and you look incompetent. Reality may tell another tale, but the perception is that you are a job slut who did not perform up to snuff with each new company. If your performance was exceptional, why did you leave? Is it the employer or is it you?
3. A perception of impropriety
This is similar to incompetence, but much worse. This is the perception that you are not just a risky hire, but also a dangerous one to the firm. These questions are bound to come into play as you hop around from one job to the next. People talk, especially among competitive firms within an industry, and if your bridges went down in flames, someone got burnt and may have a personal ax to grind against your career path. So if you do insist on as much experience as you can glean from as many jobs as you can get, try to ease your way out with class. Otherwise, you may come across as a time bomb about to explode in a company's face.
4. A lack of structure and growth in your life
Unless you fall into the miniscule minority with the mental fortitude to withstand multiple job changes year in and year out, relentless change is going to take a toll on you at some point. It can hit your friendships, personal relationships and your overall sense of wellness.
To me, when you job hop you are not setting down roots to learn any true knowledge and niches in any industry. All you are doing is taking your hard skills and doing the very basics of those. Each industry has its own little nuances that only time will provide the lesson on. Then, every company you work for in that industry provides additional little tidbits to perform even those basic hard skills more efficiently. But how do you learn that when you are jumping from company to company across industry lines, especially when those industries are not complimentary to each other?
If you notice, soft skills are not mentioned from me because job hopping all but takes soft skills out of the picture. You do not stick around long enough to hone your customer service skills, to hone your interactive skills with your coworkers, or hone your team building skills. There is no time to build rapport with those you work with. We are not even going to discuss leadership skills. I personally do not think a leader is about job hopping. Just does not fit the characteristic of one I have ever seen. Improving upon soft skills are those things take time and individual resource investment into building. I personally do not understand how people just job hop except for the money. I guess teckies would use the reason of uncertainty in their jobs in the IT industry but even that has slowed down alot since early 2000-2001.
What are your opinions on job hopping?
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Ambition is the last refuge of failure
-Oscar Wilde |
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Re: What does job-hopping reveal about you?
Posted: 01 Mar 2006 02:35 PM |
I am guilty as charged. Is that why I can't find a "real" job now? I've been working for Apple One for over 2yrs and I'm tired of not being able to take a vacation or not getting paid for legal holidays.
I can say that I keep jobs for at least 1yr. I have jobs where i started March 1 and quit March 1 of the next year, but for none of the reason's stated above. I believe I have very valid reasons why I quit. I worked for a major retail store and I hated it so much it made my stomach hurt just thinking about going in there. I worked for an educational material supplier and because I worked in the accounting dept I saw that they laid off people just so the pres and vp can receive a larger bonus, I've witnessed the owner of the co running down the hall screaming, cursing, and slaming doors. I found myself hiding in a corner in the copy room hoping he doesn't lash out at me! I am an adult! Why was I hiding from other adult? Of course I can never tell my interviewer the real reason why I quit my job. It's a well known company and it was not uncommon for people to walk out of work at lunch and leave a post-it note "I QUIT." Should I tell my interviewer this?
My boss got fed-up because he know he would never move-up in the company although he was more qualified (the higher positions were saved for the owner's family member's) so he quit and moved out of the country. My supervisor had a nervious breakdown!..........I can't use him as a reference either................
I even took a job because I just loved it there although I did not make enough money to support myself on the salary they were paying my. Should I tell people I quit because after I paid my rent I had $3 left to pay utilities, student loan, car ins, buy groceries, credit card and gas? Should I tell them I emptied out my 401K that I have been putting into for 5years? Or should I just say the commute was too long (well it was)?
I quit another job because I had 3 classes to get my BA. I needed to leave work 2 days a week by 1pm so I could get to class on time. They would not let me do this, but at the same time another person in my dept left work eary (noon) 2 days a week for school and she had internet courses! How fair is that?
I've also quit companies because I saw the financial statements and knew they were running in the red? Have I left jobs for valid reasons or am I just asking for too much?
I quit another job because I wanted to keep the car my parents bought me. I was working about 20 miles away from my house and my father told me he would take my car if I didn't quit my job. He didn't like all the miles I was putting on the car.
I have NEVER told my interviewer the real reason why I quit. Should I tell them what was really going on? Or should candy coat it? Commute was too far, my hours were cut, I left to complete college (somewhat true).......
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breeking
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| Joined: 13 Jan 2006 |
| Total Posts: 56 |
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Re: What does job-hopping reveal about you?
Posted: 05 Mar 2006 03:36 PM |
NeedAVacation,
Yes, you need to tell you interviewer why you quit those jobs. You need to be honest at all times, because if you lie and that lie is found out, you will lose your job anyway. Those are valid reasons for each job you left. BUT, what I want to stress to you is this-make sure that you ask enough questions in the interview to get a feel for the company (remember that questions that are hesitated on-or have to be thought about-before being answered tells you that they are trying to put it in a nicer way instead of telling the truth), then make your determination of whether or not you will accept the position based upon those and not just the money they are offering. There are some things money just cannot gloss over. Also, scope the company out first. If you know someone who works there, ask questions-REAL QUESTIONS. Try to determine what the culture of the organization is, what is the behavior of the leadership and what are their leadership styles? Ask how the company treats their employees. Even if you cannot find most of the answers out, it will still give you a feel for how the company operates on the departmental level. The interviewer is not going to give you an honest answer on those so I would not even ask those specific questions. But I would ask about the percentage of employee turnover (high percentages are not good). I can not tell you what would constitute a high percentage, but to me anything over about 2%-5% (depending on company size) would be high in my eyes. I am factoring in retirement, lay-offs,terminations, voluntary leaves, etc.
Also, make sure that the jobs you are taking are helping you in whatever goal it is that you have for your professional life. Sometimes we do have to take jobs just to get some money coming in, but once you do that, try to find jobs that are complimentary to each other and will help you build on your hard and soft skills. MONEY SHOULD NEVER BE YOUR SOLE MOTIVATOR FOR JOB-HOPPING. If you are doing a good job, the money will come.
YOU have to determine how far you are willing to travel for work.
YOU have to determine what hours you want (full or part time).
YOU have to determine what you have to do to complete your education.
YOU have to be in control of your own destiny (with the Lord's guidance, of course).
YOU have to determine how you want to be treated (I hope with respect and maturity).
When you set your standards, do not deviate just because you need a job. A company will either hire you or they won't. You have to remember that the company is just as eager to set its good foot forward to hire you as you are to get the job. If something is wrong on either side, time will reveal.
I hope this helps!!
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Ambition is the last refuge of failure
-Oscar Wilde |
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Re: What does job-hopping reveal about you?
Posted: 20 May 2006 08:28 AM |
| So, what do you do about being a job hopper? Sometimes you don't have a choice if you get fired or laid off. I guess the job hobber remains unemployed and lives on welfare and gets paid for no work? I've ahd two jobs that have lasted more than a year--one for five years and the other for 14 years. I've had about 154 other jobs. I am Hispanic, fat and 50. Maybe it's time for me to retire. I guess if I can't do any work and support myself I really have no place on this planet. |
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Re: What does job-hopping reveal about you?
Posted: 08 Feb 2007 06:02 PM |
| I remember seeing some statistics which said that 80 percent of all employee turnover is involuntary. I do not believe that 80 percent of all workers are incompetent, lazy so and so's. Even the most conscientious worker can only be as reliable as his or her job. |
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