8 Reasons You Should Consider Hiring a Job Hopper

By Mark Wilkinson

Many recruiters will refuse to even consider hiring a job hopper (usually) because…

• “They’re clearly disloyal.”
• “They absolutely must be a trouble-maker.”
• “They’re obviously lazy and fickle.”

Balderdash! In my experience, job hoppers are some of the most appealing candidates out there! And here’s why…

1. They are risk-takers.

Deciding to embark on a new career, within a new company, is a risk.

Will I fit in? Will I be able to do the job? Will the management team like me?

The “easy” option would be to stick with what you know (unless what you know is truly terrible).

So by definition, your job hoppers are actually a lot more likely to be risk-takers and apparently, smarter than your average Joe too!

2. They must be adaptable.

Across different companies, your job hopper will encounter a variety of different people and will be asked to complete a variety of different tasks.

It’s therefore pretty essential that they can adapt — to different people, company cultures and roles.

So, if you’re looking for someone who gets stuck in to everything and who gets on with most people, the job hopper could be right choice for your business.

(Of course, if they only ever stick around for a couple of months and haven’t got any employment references, then the complete opposite could be true, so be wary!)

3. They’ll have a variety of skills.

Even companies in the same industry will use different strategies, programs and techniques to get things done, which means your job hopper will have picked up a variety of different skills.

(From simple things like CRM systems to entirely different ways of working).

Your job hopper will be a keen learner and could bring some fabulous skills and techniques to your business.

4. They know people.

You never know when a job hopper’s own network will come in useful!

From their previous clients and employers to colleagues and suppliers, you’d be surprised how many useful connections one person can build.

(And because they’re adaptable, they’re likely to have good relationships with these people.)

5. They’ll bring new ideas.

Your job hopper will be able to bring a wider variety of new ideas to the table.

Perhaps they’ve used a better CRM system, have used various research tools and techniques, have trialled a variety of agencies or products etc.

The knowledge they have gained across different companies could improve your own processes!

6. They’re ambitious.

The most common type of job hopper is one who keeps leaving for bigger and better things.

When they feel they’ve gone as far as they can at their current workplace and that there’s nothing left on offer, they move on (this is a common behaviour amongst millennials).

Of course, ambitious employees are much more likely to be enthusiastic about making a difference to your business (and making a name for themselves in the process).

Recruiter Pro Tip

Ambition is great and everything… but how does it fit in with your business?

There’s no point hiring an uber-ambitious job hopper when you have no opportunities for progression to actually offer them.

They certainly won’t last long!

Job hoppers know what they want and they aren’t afraid to go get it!

7. They’re not lazy.

I’ve heard many recruiters call job hoppers lazy… but I’ve never actually found that myself.

Think about it; looking for, securing and starting a new job is definitely not easy; in fact, job hunting is pretty much a full-time job these days.

As such, I tend to find that job hoppers are more proactive, enthusiastic and ambitious — how else would they have to energy to re-write CVs, attend interviews and change careers?

Sticking with what you know is certainly less effort.

8. It’s all relative, anyway!

I believe I can fly….

Does it even really make a difference if a candidate is a job hopper? Is it fair to pigeon-hole them?

At Coburg Banks, we think everyone should be given the benefit of the doubt.

If you’re unsure then ask the question; find out why they’ve left other businesses — they may just have been unlucky and not found their dream company yet — you’ll never know if you don’t ask.

Don’t risk losing a great employee, for the sake of an old stereotype.

Of course, there is always a downside…

The 8 reasons I’ve outlined above are all based on trends I have personally picked up on (and a bit of common sense) but of course, you will occasionally just come across a bad egg!

Recruiter Pro Tip

Here are some warning signs that your candidate could be one of the “bad” job-hoppers:

• They don’t have any references from previous companies (are they a trouble-maker)?
• They regularly flit between careers and industries (do they actually know what they want)?
• They don’t have a reason for leaving their current job (do they just get bored)?

…use your gut instincts and probing questions to suss these things out!

If you’d like to read more about attracting a recruiting good egg, click here to check out the rest of our blog!

Still not sure?

Check out the articles below for more advice on whether or not a job hopper is right for your business:

• “A job hopper could be your best new hire” Anne Fisher, Fortune
• “Never Hire Job Hoppers. Never. They Make Terrible Employees” Mark Suster, Business Insider
• “Why you shouldn’t dismiss the job hopper” Don Charlton, The Business Journals

Some food for thought at the very least!

Mark Wilkinson

Mark is one of the founders of Coburg Banks and heads up the permanent recruitment division of the business. Every day he helps companies with their recruitment projects, sourcing the very best individuals for their vacancies. He understands recruitment inside-out.