Hiring Challenges The Job Hopper - Walrath Recruiting, Inc.

Hiring Challenges â€" The Job Hopper - Walrath Recruiting, Inc. Job Hopping has been getting a lot of attention lately; recently an article noted that job hopping was becoming a thing of the past. The article discussed various professionals who believe that it is not detrimental to a career and that it is good for professional development. There is proof that job hopping has led to greater financial gains in a shorter period of time, and that the “stigma” of the job hopper as a red flag, disloyal or uncommitted is changing some.     However, this is something that has been a topic of debate by people in the recruiting and talent acquisition business for a while now. It may not have the same connotations associated with it as it used to, but a resume with the implication of being a job hopper will more than likely have an effect on whomever is reading it; whether the effect is positive will rely on why there was so much movement. In the past the ideal “career” consisted of having one employer and a lengthy tenure. Employees would attempt to work their way up the ranks throughout the duration of their employment, eventually retiring with a pension earned through loyalty and hard work. That ideal scenario has definitely evolved into something else and is continuing to change. This day and age, it is relatively common to see individuals entertain a variety of different jobs throughout their career for a many different reasons, other than quick advancement up the corporate ladder, making more money quickly or the inability to keep a job. This is especially true in a changing job market, thanks to new and advancing technology in the workplace, as well as trends such as the startup boom and the newly formed “gig” economy. The picture of our career paths and the way we develop is looking very different than it used to. However, this doesn’t mean that a career path consisting of different jobs every 2 years is suddenly the expected or best career path for everyone. Many employers still want to hire people who have displayed loyalty and commitment to their employers through longer terms of employment. A snap judgement or just a quick glance at job dates on a resume is not enough, it takes more to identify a hopper (in a negative connotation) from someone who made changes for professional development; a deeper assessment is now required. In an evolving job market, we need to consider how we view job movement. If there is evidence of skills and experience gained and value added to the prior employers, is more movement such a bad thing? The connotation we place on job movement will need to be dependent on what the movement was for (growth or inability to hold a position). If it is justified and well stated, maybe it should be considered positive. When we look at the current job market there are specific areas in which employers are struggling to find the talent they desire in potential candidates. Although, in abundance, most do not have the all desired skillsets; meaning those who do are gaining some leverage. These skilled employees are more open to movement now than they have been in the recent past, but with change, they expect the opportunity to grow. An attractive opportunity to those candidates is a job where they know they will progress in their career, where they will learn new skills and improve on the ones they have (more money is certainly a factor as well)…forward progression! If the ability to grow is not there, the employee probably will not be around for long either. The challenge to employers is attracting and then retaining these skilled employees who are open to moving elsewhere for their betterment. A new hire is an investment, and we all hate to make bad investments. A solution for this is creating a reputation as a company who fosters growth through their employees, even if they do end up leaving a few years down the road. A positive reputation as a company who attracts top talent to make them even better for the future of their careers, while bringing the skills, initiative, and performance needed to assist in company growth, will keep top talent coming. Take Google as an example, many of their ex-employees have moved on to other top technology companies or started their own, but they continue to keep on bringing in top performers who can innovate and continue to grow the company. Growth is something that most of us are looking for within our careers, a pretty feasible thing to say, right? However, some people might be content just where they are, and in that case they probably will not be looking to move and be under suspicion of being a hopper. In any case hiring strategy is important, especially now, when the tides of the workforce are changing. Hiring practically and with intent to train for future growth is of the utmost importance these days. Yes, there will be the need to fill positions immediately, but is there strategy in place to fill them with the intent of future growth (for the individual and the business) or just momentary satisfaction?