By Chere B. Estrin
There’s nothing quite like the immediate deflation a hiring manager feels when they spot a resume littered with job hops. That knee-jerk reaction is often something like, “Wait, if you were only there for nine months, maybe you’ll only be here for nine months.” Cue the red flags.
It’s true—changing jobs too frequently is right up there with skill mismatches for reasons hiring managers pass over candidates. According to LinkedIn’s survey of 1,024 hiring managers, a whopping 37% say that seeing a job hopper’s resume might prevent them from moving forward. But is all job-hopping created equal? Spoiler alert: nope. Some reasons are totally legit, and others… well, not so much.
Let’s break down the good, the bad, and the ugly of job hopping and how you can still win over hiring managers despite a scattered resume.
Let’s break down the good, the bad, and the ugly of job hopping
and … How you can still win over hiring managers despite a scattered resume.
Why Do Employers Get Job-Hopper Jitters?
For many hiring managers, stability matters. That’s because a revolving door of employees costs a company time, money, and sometimes sanity. When a candidate has jumped from job to job, it suggests one of two things: you either have bad judgment or bad luck. And no employer is eager to roll the dice on that. Plus, the cost of hiring, training, and integrating new employees only for them to leave in a few months is a frustrating investment with zero ROI.
LinkedIn career expert Drew McCaskill puts it plainly: “If you were only there for nine months, maybe you’ll only be here for nine months.”
But Wait! There Are Good Reasons to Jump Around
Job-hopping isn’t always a death sentence for your career. There are perfectly valid reasons for making an exit stage left. Maybe you were in a toxic work environment where “teamwork” meant “you do everything.” Or maybe you left to care for a sick relative. The pandemic shook up a lot of people’s careers, and short stints during that time are becoming less of a dealbreaker.
The key? You need to tell your story in a way that makes sense. You might say, “Here’s what I gained from each experience and how it makes me the ideal candidate for this role now.”
If your job history has a lot of twists and turns, be ready to show how each job added value to your skill set. You weren’t just biding your time until something better came along—you were building your career, piece by piece.
Is There a “Sweet Spot” for Job Changes?
There is! According to experts, the so-called sweet spot for job-hopping is every two to three years. This timeframe shows that you can make a commitment, honor it, and move on when you’re ready for the next step. Stay at a job for less than 18 months? Red flags. Stay for three to five years? Gold star.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that the median tenure of employees is about 4.1 years, but it varies. Younger workers between 25-34 years old stick around for 2.8 years on average, while those 55 and older clock in at nearly a decade of loyalty.
So, What’s the Right Answer?
When asked why you’re leaving a job (or why you left your last three), tread carefully. If every single reason is the same—“I wasn’t a fit,” “Management was awful,” or “I needed more growth”—that screams, “There’s a pattern here, and it’s not a good one.” Remember, they’re looking for patterns. Make sure you’ve got different, honest, and believable answers, or those red flags are going to start waving themselves.
How to Turn Job-Hopping into a Strength
Not all hiring managers automatically dismiss job-hoppers. The trick is to position your experience as a strength. Show how each role helped you develop a new skill or opened doors to fresh opportunities. Emphasize the benefits of your varied experience—skill expansion, networking, income growth, or maybe even discovering your true passion.
Pro Tip:
Find someone at the company where you’re applying who can vouch for you. A personal recommendation can often help hiring managers overlook a job-hopping past.
What Employers Actually Want
Despite their wariness of job-hoppers, hiring managers aren’t looking for someone to stay forever. They just want to feel like you’ll be around long enough to make an impact. According to LinkedIn’s survey, 54% of hiring managers want someone committed to learning and upskilling, and 48% give extra points to candidates who can start ASAP.
So, when you accumulated a history of multiple short stints, lean into how each job made you better. You weren’t just jumping ship because you were bored; you were strategically building a dynamic career. (Say it with confidence. You got this!)
How Much Can You Hop Before It Costs You?
Like aspirin, a little job-hopping can be beneficial—but too much? That’s when things get dicey. For most industries, two short stints are forgivable. More than that…..? You might be hitting a wall, especially when the job market tightens and hiring managers have more candidates to choose.
Be mindful of that psychological toll, too. Constantly changing jobs can become emotionally exhausting. The grass might always seem greener at the next position, but hopping too much can leave you feeling like you’re forever on the move, never quite finding your fit.
Final Thoughts: How to Explain It All
If you’ve jumped from job to job, it all comes down to the story you tell. Frame your moves as a journey with purpose. Explain the lessons you’ve learned, the skills you’ve gained, and how those experiences make you an asset.
Hiring managers don’t mind a little job-hopping if you can show that it’s brought you closer to your ultimate career goals. So, get out there, tell your story, and remember: the key to winning over that hiring manager is owning your experience with confidence, humor, and just the right amount of breeziness.
After all, everyone loves a good story—even if it’s full of plot twists!
About the Author
Chere Estrin has over 20 years of experience in the staffing arena, including executive positions in law firms, litigation support companies, and the legal staffing divisions of a $5billion publicly held corporation. She is CEO of Estrin Legal Staffing, a nationwide staffing organization. Ms. Estrin was founder of the Paralegal Knowledge Institute, an online CLE organization. She publishes the prestigious digital magazine, KNOW, the Magazine for Paralegals, and is the former Editor-in-Chief of Sue, the Magazine for Women Litigators. She is also the author of 10 books about legal careers for attorneys and legal professionals.
Ms. Estrin’s contributions to the legal industry have been significant, and she continues to play an active role in shaping the future of legal staffing and training. She writes the popular,
award-winning blog, The Estrin Report, and has been interviewed by CBS News along with many top publications, such as The Wall Street Journal, Fortune Magazine, Forbes.com, Los Angeles Times, Entrepreneur Magazine, Newsweek, The Chicago Tribune, The Daily Journal, ABA Journal, Above the Law, ALM, Law360 and many others. She has also been a speaker for many prestigious organizations and written hundreds of articles.
As the Co-Founding Member and President of the Organization of Legal Professionals (OLP), Ms. Estrin has guided the association’s development and implementation of the eDiscovery and Litigation Support certification exams (first in the country) along with Pearson Publications, a $7 billion corporation specializing in certification exams and educational publishing. She was also the Education Director designing, creating and executing online, live training programs with an on-call roster of over 500 instructors throughout the world. Currently, she provides webinars on legal career matters for LawPractice and Lawline, two of the largest attorney CLE online training organizations.
Ms. Estrin is a co-founding member of the International Practice Management Association (IPMA) and the Organization of Legal Professionals, composed of a prestigious Board of Governors inclusive of judges, an ABA President, and well-known attorneys. She is the recipient of the Los Angeles/Century City “Women of Achievement” award and recognized as One of the Top 50 Women in Los Angeles. Ms. Estrin has been writing The Estrin Report since 2005 and most recently launched her podcast, “Lawfully Employed”.
Reach out at: chere@estrinlegalstaffing.com or visit her website at www.EstrinLegalStaffing.com.
Insightful article! As a career coach, I often work with clients who worry about how job-hopping might impact their candidacy. I completely agree that how candidates frame their experience makes all the difference. Highlighting the skills gained and the strategic reasoning behind each career move can turn what initially looks like a scattered resume into a story of professional growth. This advice is particularly helpful for those in rapidly evolving industries where adaptability and diverse experience are key strengths. Thanks for sharing such a balanced perspective on job-hopping!