Please note that this post contains affiliate links. For more information, see my disclosures here.
When it comes to interviews and potential new employers, there’s a lot of dread when the subject of “job hopping” comes up.
It may be that you’ve moved to a new city every year for the past three years, or that you’ve gone through a series of career changes. Or maybe you’ve just had a string a bad luck and are looking for the next better opportunity.
While job hopping is becoming increasingly common, there’s still a bit of stigma attached to it. Whatever the reason for your job hopping, broaching the topic causes legitimate concern and fear with a new employer, especially since they’re bound to ask about it.
Fortunately, there’s a way to put a positive spin on your jumpy work experience, and to even help remove the stigma that’s commonly associated with changing jobs too often.
If you’re wondering how to answer job hopping questions, follow these straightforward tips.
4 Tips to Help Explain Why You’ve Job Hopped
1. Illustrate how committed you are, in spite of your job hopping. When you have a jumpy work history, the first thing your potential new boss is going to think is that you have commitment issues. Counteract their fears by having solid, illustrative examples of how committed you are—not just to this new role, but also to previous roles. Did you spearhead a cool, new project at your last job? Great! Talk about that. Do you see things through to fruition? Talk about that! Be ready to show just how committed you are to this new job, and how you have the experience to prove it.
2. Focus on how you’re seeking fulfillment. People leave jobs for a number of reasons, but a common theme among them all is not finding fulfillment in their job. When it comes to answering job hopping questions, turn the focus to how you’re trying to find fulfillment in this new role. For example, maybe you were promised greater responsibility, or even a promotion at your previous job, but nothing ever happened. Why wouldn’t you seek opportunities elsewhere that can deliver on those things you want?
3. Let them know you’re seeking new challenges. Employers may think you’ve got too much job hopping going on when they see your resume, but that’s an opportunity to let them know just how awesome you are when it comes to new challenges. Be sure to have a few talking points about how you thrive in new environments and with new challenges. Turn your job hopping into a strength, and let them know you’re not just someone that can happily stay within a defined comfort zone.
4. Be transparent. While you don’t need to disclose every tiny detail about your decision to leave your previous job, try to be as transparent as possible with your potential new employer. Whether the company downsized and laid you off, or you felt like your skills weren’t being utilized to the fullest, be honest when asked the question.
Drop a line