Guest Comment: will job hopping curse or cure your career?

Australian employers tend to take a conservative view when it comes to the compulsive job hopper. Individuals who change companies every one to two years are often viewed as high risk to a future employer.

During the financial crisis, when most organisations were downsizing, Australian businesses on the acquisition trail took the opportunity to pick up top talent to fill skills gaps. This encouraged some people to move if the offer was attractive enough.

For most strategic hires there is an acceptance that true value will not be added in the short term while the person gets up to speed. If there is a perceived risk that this individual may move on again relatively quickly, it is questionable as to whether they will ever have the longevity required to demonstrate their real value.

In the current economic climate, hiring managers face closer scrutiny into all costs, including staff turnover. They are focused on increasing efficiencies and reducing the hidden costs of recruitment, such as productivity lags, additional training and development, and management time.

In this context, an individual who moves every 18 months won't be seen as a long-term asset.

The exceptions

Some individuals do manage to successfully develop their careers whilst job hopping. Making several moves over a few years (and taking significant steps forward every time), can be a way of fast tracking a career and increasing remuneration as a result.

And changes in roles and organisations that come with an overseas move are still viewed favourably by financial instiutions in Australia, even if the individuals have held several different positions while abroad.

International business experience and the knowledge it brings is highly valued, particularly for certain core disciplines where experience in larger financial markets can be of benefit in order to lead industry best practice and product innovation.

When to stop?

But can job hopping ever be a long-term strategy, or is there always a point where candidates must choose a business that allows them the growth and development opportunities they are seeking?

An employer may have a number of challenging questions to pose to a job hopper because the value they bring will not just be measured in terms of their skills and accomplishments to date, but their loyalty and future value to the business.

Companies often want to hear the reasons for several job moves and if this raises any concern around future commitment levels, weak answers can eliminate candidates.

In conclusion

In light of the above, job hopping in its own right is neither good nor bad for an individual's career profile. It all depends on the reasons behind the career moves.

Professionals should think strategically about every new job they consider and how this will add value to longer-term career objectives. While job hopping can sometimes work well for people at all levels, it's important to find the right role in the right organisation to allow for growth and career development over a sustained period of time.

Louise Langridge, joint managing director, Morgan McKinley Sydney