Job Changes no Longer Seen as Negative by Employers

Traditionally it has been considered by employers that holding a position long term is something to be looked upon as positive in terms of a CV.

However, with today’s job market having become more fluid, it appears that the old concept of a ‘career for life’ could well be somewhat outdated.

Edology, a leading e-learning organisation, undertook a survey of 1,000 employers with a view to discovering whether there has been a shift in attitude around the subject of job changes. The survey revealed that, in actual fact, job hopping could be classed as a good career move with 82 per cent of employers stating that they would be willing to take someone on who had switched jobs within the last six months.

Perceptions Around Regular Job Changes have Shifted

This would suggest that general perceptions around regular job changes have shifted from negative to positive. In fact, 51 per cent of employers surveyed believed that people switching careers tended to have a higher degree of motivation.

Founder and CEO of Target Internet, Daniel Rowles, is in agreement, saying, ‘The fresh perspective of someone from a totally different industry often ends up providing a greater benefit than the relevant skills of someone who’s done the advertised role before.

‘In this age of exponential change, every candidate will require ongoing training to stay up-to-speed. With careerists arguably losing their skills advantage, and job roles becoming more creative and strategic, career changers are starting to look like the smartest hires.’

63 per cent of employers believe that changing jobs could be beneficial to a career and 53 per cent say it helps aid personal development.

Dr Jeremy C Bradley, executive director at Edology, has this to say: ‘Until recently, job hopping was considered career suicide, but things have changed. As job longevity becomes a thing of the past, employers and recruiters are beginning to have a different outlook on job hopping, as our research confirms.’

So, if as an employer you have been concerned about taking someone on who has a career history of job hopping, or who has recently switched roles, it could be time to look on it as a positive rather than a negative.

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