CBS reported recently that Millennials are job hopping more than previous generations. The phrase “job hopping” may make potential employees sound fickle, distracted, or unreliable, but in all honesty, this group of workers is more complicated than people realize. Here are some things to consider when looking at job hoppers’ applications.
Who hires job hoppers? The Muse notes business owners are split on hiring job hoppers, with 55 percent of those polled saying they’ve hired such employees. The definition of a job hopper varies—either people who change jobs in 1 to 2 years or those with 5 job changes on their resume.
Are job hoppers ambitious? Eremedia points out that job hoppers tend to be ambitious and top performers, and very productive since they’re often early or mid-level career. They move on to better opportunities, whether it’s a promotion at another company or a similar post at a more prestigious outlet. Even if they seem like tenuous prospects, EreMedia asks “Wouldn’t you rather have Lebron for one year than Homer Simpson for 4.6?”—referring to the face most employees only stay on for 4.6 years anyways. However, as The Muse notes, replacing an employee can cost as much as $30,000.
What skills do they have? A diverse toolkit can help you out in surprising ways, so check out what skills the applicant picked up over those various jobs. Plus, you can learn more about competitors’ workplaces from job hoppers. It’s also known that because of the recession in 2008, gaps in employment are pretty common—so keep economic factors in mind when reviewing resumes.
Ultimately, whether you hire a job hopper depends on what your company values most, like experience, ambition, loyalty, and insider knowledge. Hiring a job hopper may seem like a risk, but it can reap high rewards.