It’s important to have a lot of diverse experiences on your resume, but eventually you can hit a point of diminishing returns. In fact, too much job-hopping can hurt your career. Employers want to hire someone who will stay loyal to the company, not someone who will stay for six months and then flee. Obviously there are exceptions to being a true “job hopper” and good reasons as to why people to move positions, but recruiting, hiring, and training a new employee is expensive—not something companies want to do every few months. Here are four ways that your job-hopping can limit your career.
High Cost of Hiring 
The hiring process is expensive. Training is expensive. Some experts estimate that fickle job hoppers can cost a company up to $20,000 per employee. So if your resume is peppered with short spurts of work experience, without a longer, more loyal commitment, employers are not likely to take a chance on hiring you.
Lack of Career Development
It’s hard to pick up any expertise or accomplish anything when you don’t stay in a position for more than a few weeks or months. You seem restless and undisciplined, without the ability to dedicate yourself to something after the initial excitement wears off. Potential employers might view you as immature and not prepared to overcome challenging obstacles.
Lack of Passion or Interest
Maybe you’re just not passionate enough about the field you’ve been working in. Most employers want to see that you’re seeking something better for yourself, but you have to get there based on merit, by paying your dues and focusing on hard work as you move up in a company.
If you find a company that you can believe in and where you enjoy working, stay loyal to that company’s mission and corporate culture while you seek out the ideal position there. Aiming for better opportunities is a good thing, but too many jumps is a red flag that you’ll never be content anywhere.
Missing the Big Picture
Companies set long-term goals for several years down the road, and if you can’t show that you do, too, they might not waste their time hiring you. Consider your employer to be a career incubator instead of a time wasters. Remember that you’re picking up valuable skills and experiences and prioritize the best interests of the company instead of your shortsighted goals. Be an asset to the company by sticking it out in one job for at least two years, so future companies will be more willing to invest in you.
For more advice on how to advance your career while staying loyal to your employer, check out our website at https://www.chiefofstaffkc.com.
Blog written by Erin Greenhalgh