INC.
T
o develop a career portfolio,
changing jobs used to be
considered the exception.
Now, it’s become the rule, one
where staying in a single gig
for too long is more hindrance
than help. If you’ve hit a dead-end in terms of
progress and you’re surrounded by colleagues
who you hate, or who seem to have signed on
for life, it’s time to pull the ripcord and land
elsewhere. After all, you can now do so with
impunity, according to Tracy Cashman,
senior vice president at WinterWyman
international recruitment firm.
“Job hopping is less frowned upon
than it used to be,” states Cashman,
“though companies may still be suspicious
of people who have too many stints of one
year or less”.
Like so much in life (except for sex), it’s
about moderation – as hiring types and
managers, when confronted with a CV
cluttered with different company names,
think along these lines:
a) Do they get bored easily? b) Are they the
first to be benched in a layoff because they’re
not an ‘A team’ player? c) Do they have
a contractor’s mentality?
On the flip side, don’t plant your roots too
deep. Ten years in a role used to show career
loyalty and dedication. While that’s still true,
Cashman says “more companies are reluctant
to hire people who’ve been at one place their
whole work history”.
You want a résumé to show smatterings
of a little life and movement. If you’ve
hunched over the one desk for more than five
years, a potential new employer might raisean eyebrow, knowing how people can
become set in their ways.
According to Cashman, companies may
feel that those people aren’t motivated in
their career progression or, worse, are so
ingrained in a particular way of thinking
and approach to work that they can’t adapt
to a new environment.
If you’re fortunate enough to move
often (but not too often), you can point
to experience in a number of different
industries, and exposure to a variety of
challenges, which can lead a prospective
employer to feel you’re flexible and
a quick learner.
Often, those who move frequently are
recruited by people they’ve previously
worked for, or with, and who’ve moved on
themselves. This can be another gold star
on a track record, a firm sign that people
want to work with you again.148 GQ.COM.AU SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017
“If you’ve
hunched over
the one desk for
more than five
years, a potential
new employer
might raise
an eyebrow...”
A TWO-MINUTE GUIDE TO JOB HOPPING
CHRONICLE KEY
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Was the Jenkins account in your last job
or the one before? With extra companies
come extra layers of confusion. Create
a record of your accomplishments.
Just. Keep. The. Details. Clear.LIST BEFORE
YOU LEAVE
Each time you leave a job, list information
about your most recent position on your
CV. That way you won’t need to think
about it 2-3 years from now when ready
to make the jump again.DON’T BURN
YOUR BRIDGES
Your ex-boss may be a dick, but don’t say
that when you slam the door on your
way out. You’ll need one or two decent
references from each of the last three
or four places you’ve worked.