Changed job every year

[Whitechocolatemarshmallow]

Since graduating from University 7 years ago, I haven't stayed in a job for more than 1.5 years. I have never been dismissed from any, and the shortest time i've stayed in one is 6 months.

My uni friends have either had the same job since their 2012/2013 graduation or have changed only once, meaning that they have been in the same role for years.

They have had promotions as a result and have moved into managerial positions. I couldn't imagine doing this.

I have lived in a couple of different countries and this has been a reason, but I have also ended up leaving roles due to workplace bullying or a change in hours meaning that I couldn't afford to live on the wage.

I think I have been unlucky, but some of it is my own doing.

I am wanting to leave my current job after one year. However, i'm worried that it's going to look bad now. I do want to have a job I can stay in for at least a few years.

I've already had a friend making digs about me changing again. However I had an old friend who literally had 4 different careers in one year and it didn't stop him getting employment offers.

Do you think I need to stick my job out for longer ? I don't want to be doing this for the rest of my working life.

I could stick my current job out until July if needs be.

I generally move jobs every couple of years. My husband is in the military and we do tend to get moved.

I’m always amazed when people have worked in the same role for 10 plus years.

It doesn't look great on a cv but if you can explain it it might be okay. What sector do you work in?

It's education, all my jobs have been in that sector.

What's wrong with your current job? Is the reason you want to leave the same as previous roles?

It doesn't look great on a CV.

But what do you do then? Lots of people including me, have never managed to get a permanent job, and probably never will. I'm 42 and a qualified primary school teacher currently working a minimum wage admin job as an agency worker.

I have never seen good advice about what to do for your CV if you're in this situation.

Depends on the industry. The field I work in the average turnover of staff is 2 years. I actually haven't stayed anywhere more than 18 months so far and it hasn't stopped me getting a new job.

I was similar to you, left uni in 2009 and never stayed in any one place longer than 18 months. I thought I was a failure at the time - but really I was just naive and unlucky, and kept taking new jobs at pretty horrible organisations as a knee-jerk reaction - grass is greener and all that!

It did come up in a couple of job interviews, but it didn't stop me from getting offers. I've been self-employed for a few years now though and much prefer it!

I wouldn't employ someone who will probably leave after a year, why waste time and money training someone.

Sounds like you get itchy feet. My mums the same, she becomes intolerant of a place after a couple of years and then ends up hating everyone there or or not getting along with people.

You would be better to stick it out for a bit longer.

it depends, though.
about 20+ years ago "job hoppers" weren't that well regarded as recruiting/training new staff was expensive. Now, most companies will realise that either the job market is shitty and it's necessary, or that a lot of companies don't do enough to retain good staff (promotions, incentives etc).

But if you give the impression that it's a lot of "jumping before you were pushed" it might be a problem. So the trick is to have a really good explanation why, and take it from there. I'd stay until July though because the job market is a flipping blood-bath right now.

Don't leave your current job until you have found another one. Nothing stops you from looking now.

Absolutely sell moving to other countries as worthy experience, and you accepting stop-gap roles when coming back because you needed to work. It's absolutely fine to travel and get it out of the way, so it really doesn't look that bad.

You are looking for a permanent long-term position now. That's what you are selling.

Nowadays it looks absolutely dreadful if someone has been in the same job for 15 or 20 years, and many employers won't even consider the CV.

Candidates make up anything: moving closer to family and sticking to it, passionate about. xyz and that place of work is the perfect opportunity..

In my sector, you are much better off moving job, you get pay rise and promotions a hell of a lot faster than sticking to one place.

Chopping and changing jobs regularly will stand out as a negative on a CV if a company is looking for someone permanent and long-term, as it suggests you won’t stay there long. They’ll also often ask you your reason for leaving. Most people only get to their most effective in a role after a year or so.

It depends also on why you move—for example if you are made redundant, or get offered a promotion somewhere, those are pretty understandable. But if it’s regularly just not getting on with the job:culture, unfortunately they will conclude that you are the common denominator.

If you’re having this issue a lot, it may be worth examine why more closely? Are there expectations you have for work that are unreasonable, are you failing to commmunicate to companies about what you need, are you taking any chances to progress?

How much upward progress has there been over these changes? If lots, then as a potential employer I would think you a bit ruthless ans ambitious, so a slight negative in trustworthiness. If you haven’t had much upward traction I would assume unfocused, unable to commit, unreliable and possible personal issues getting in the way of work.

A lot of people move roles every 1-3 years in order to get good pay rises and promotions. Moving role to another one of the same level is a bit suspicious, as it’s not a career move but rather a sign of not committing.

It would make me wonder about somebody. Do you teach or have a pupil facing role? When I did a safer recruitment course one of the things we were specifically told to look for was someone who changed jobs very frequently.

Depending on the role I would wonder if you were seeing a cycle through and then making changes to improve the process for next time round the cycle.

Also to be clear: I think most employees would favour someone who has moved around enough to have a variety of experience, but who had a clear rationale for doing so—promotions or new areas of expertise, staying always for a decent length of time.

Also you need to remember that a lot of times underperforming staff don’t get fired, they quit and move on before that process gets underway. So you may find employers assume you belong in that category if you don’t have a solid justification

If you are a teacher it looks v bad if an assistant not so much

Anything less than two years gets frowned upon in my sector.

I don't think it looks good if they aren't easily explained i.e redundancy or fixed term contracts. If you've left multiple permanent jobs then I would wonder whether you find it hard to settle into a team and are always thinking the grass is greener.

I don't think a year is enough time to settle in to a school properly. It's only one cycle so there's no building on performance in the context of that setting.

Why do you want to leave this current job?

But what is the answer?

It depends on your industry and role. DH changes jobs every 12 - 18 months but it's to move upward on the career ladder, it is common in his industry (tech) he is often head-hunted for the roles.

In my field (medicine), unless you are on a training program lasting 2 years (occasionally 3) we change jobs every year until we become consultants or GPs.

@CremeEggThief if you have been working via an agency, could you put down the agency and then list placements and positions underneath? That way you haven’t had (for example) 10 jobs, you’ve had one job that had you work in 10 locations.

I don’t know if that would work for the type of job you do but it might be a solution.

Otherwise, if the contract was fixed term, perhaps you could say that to make it clear the job was for X months from the start rather than you jumping ship after a few months?

When hiring new team members this is always something that pops up as a red flag for me. Why bother training someone up if they are going to leave in a year.

Also, if someone generally has issues with every job they have had, especially with other members of staff, I wouldn't be interested in them. They will usually just cause issues within the team that are already there.

Do you think I need to stick my job out for longer ? I don't want to be doing this for the rest of my working life.

Sticking it out for another 1-2 years to gain some better quality experience, maybe picking up an extra responsibility does not equate to being there "for the rest of your working life", and would still be a short stint by education standards.

If you mean that you want to leave the sector, then that might be different, although my opinion still stands that it shows a lack of commitment and direction and possibly poor performance and/or relationships. For that reason I would still stay a bit longer and see what other generic skills you can enhance such as project management, implementing change, teamwork etc.

Thanks for your help, Tararara and Talia.
I was REALLY hoping I could have got a good solid 6-12 months in the job the agency placed me in in February, but unfortunately lockdown interfered and ruined that plan. However, I have started another job since at the end of September, so hopefully I'll get at least 6 months experience this time.

I think if you're only 7 years post graduation this is normal and fine. If you were mid-career (late 30s/early 40s) and 20 years post college it might be a red flag but at your age (presuming you are late 20s) its fine.

In some ways I think its actually a benefit: it shows you are employable, ambitious and adaptable. Partly depends on the industry as some are more conservative than others but I'd say for people in their 20s staying anywhere longer than about 3-4 years is a bit weird. The "job for life" thing is long gone. Ultimately the onus is on you to get the best terms for yourself in life. If you don't get good working conditions and promotional opportunities in one place showing initiative is better than dogged corporate loyalty.

I don't think I had a job that lasted more than 2 years anywhere until I was in my mid 30s.