Do I appear as a job hopper? (cover letters, IT job, employees)

[maybeamistake]

First job out of college - 2.2 years
Second job - 1.2 years
Third job - 1 year (lay off)
Fourth job/gap filler while currently looking for new job - 1.2 years

I intended to stay at the third job for a while but I faced some unforeseen circumstances which brings me to where I am today. Interviewers do ask why I moved around, whether I get bored, and I try to give the best answer, but I don't think it has been working.

[MJ7]

No you do not. A job hopper would be someone that jumps around with no intended purpose once every 3-9 months, and someone that hops from JOB to JOB, as in different titles/positions. Sometimes, given the situation you can not help how often you need to jump, as in layoffs, furloughs, RIFs, whatever. If you are hopping around to advance your career then make that known when you write your Cover Letters and it will be fine. Here's my situation:

First job, 2 years.
Second job, 11 months, furloughed.
Third job, been here for 7 months, currently putting out feelers.

I do not call it job hopping, all but my current position, however, I am going for a promotion when I CAREER hop.

[johnp292]

You should probably expect to be questioned about it, but if you have reasonable answers as to why you changed jobs they will likely be accepted.

It will also depend heavily on the type of jobs you've done, and what you are applying for.

[DaBurgh]

yes compared to other applicants who have been working at the same job for at least 3 years

[iama30something]

I have a similar history. I'm lucky in the fact that I've never really been questioned about it. However, if I ever am, I plan on putting a positive spin on it that the reason. Say you left because it was a better opportunity (even if it was a lateral move).

My history:
Job out of college - 2 yrs
2nd job - 2 yrs
3rd job - 1 yr
Current job - 9 months

[beera]

Nope
Me:
1: 7 years (laid off)
2: 4 months (Job 3 finally came through and was way better)
3: 3 years (got tired of no opportunity so moved on)
4: 1 year (fired- though I don't tell employers this)
5: 6 weeks (although I probably wouldn't list this in the future, job 6 came through)
6: 1 year and counting

[stava]

Does this say "job hopper"? Most employers don't care, but I've had a couple of recruiters raise their eyebrows and give me "the talk":

Most recent job: 6 months (the position was not as advertised and wasn't a good move for me)
Before that: 1.5 years
Before that: 1.5 years
Before that: 1 year
Before that: 3 years
Before that: 4 years

[mtnbiker65]

Originally Posted by beera

4: 1 year (fired- though I don't tell employers this)

I'm curious how you're able to spin the fact that you were fired? What do you say to the potential employer?

As for me, I had a similar history when I started my career. Back then, I often ran into the old school HR types that felt I was a job hopper in spite of the fact that I had been laid off due to a plant closing, laid off due to an office moving 1500 miles away. Both of these facts even made the local papers. Just recently, I was on an interview with some such old school manager who insisted on going all the way back to my first part time job in HS. It blew his mind why I didn't stay on as a bag boy at that grocery store and made a career out if it in spite of the fact that I went to a trade school to learn a specific trade. So, be prepared for those old school types. They're still out there.

[cowherjaw]

It depends on titles. If job +1 shows a position of more responsibility than previous job, then it is seen differently than if you are hopping from job to job without any connection and starting over all the time.

It also depends on what type of job you are applying for. If it's a professional one, they will want a stronger progression history and a good employer will take it upon themselves to keep you challenged and will promote you in the company. More commoditized and lower skill positions will care less about that.

Your history is a flag but not a red flag.

[mozzillameister]

I think its hard not to be in the current job market. Unless you got lucky on several steps in your career origins (great HS, expensive private Uni or Full Honors at Great Public, start at Top 400 Company, etc), the only way to truly get level is to bounce a lot.

Also note: The old value system of retaining employees for the long-term is sort of eroded. Many companies look short-term, and will replace if not moved on for a cheaper candidate. So its also wise to keep moving on rather than being unemployed.

A resume is no more than a advertisement of skills. If "bouncing" means you are learning more skills, then that makes your resume stronger, no?

Example: My last position was at a ridiculously small company on the Development side of Marketing: Building a Social Media presence, expanding Marketing programs (digital and print), etc. My current temp position is at a Top 400 company that is a very analytical side of Marketing. It has forced me to re-learn a lot of things I haven't used (HTML, Java), and learn more advanced tools that I only used in a macro level (G Analytics, Ecommerce tools, Analytical software, etc). Even though the position isn't a "level up" and is a side-step (same title, no real bump in salary), I have learned a lot of valuable skills that can be applicable to improving many Marketing programs when going back to a more Macro-Level Marketing position. That's going to be especially useful when going for an MBA and trying my hand at the more Managerial side of Marketing.