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.

Depends on the industry if your change of jobs is for a promotion or progression I think that’s fine but lots of sideways steps I’d wonder why you were moving all the time

In my area schools are wary of someone who job hops without good reason.

For example, someone who made the decision to do supply contracts through an agency and comes with great references would probably be viewed well, but someone who has left permanent jobs regularly for similar positions tends to be viewed negatively as it leaves large questions about their work, ability to get on with others and so on.

Someone might move jobs every 2 years in the early stage of their career because they want to gain experience in another setting (eg special school or different catchment) or they might move for a promotion, and that would be fine too, but just teacher to teacher job would raise questions.

In an interview, the important thing is to have a coherent story about why you moved each time, better prospects, significantly improved reward package.

As you get more senior, it gets trickier because you will be hired for the quality of your work. Fair enough job hopping if you have been working your way up. If you have just been making messes and then skipping on before you get caught out, people will know and it will get more difficult to find good roles.

I think it depends. From your description OP you do sound like a job hopper! If you have had to move city or you are genuinely unhappy then that’s understandable.
As you get older I wouldn’t just change jobs for the sake of it.

As someone who has recruited lots of people over the years this would concern me. It comes across that you either get bored quickly or don't get on well with people at work.

Have the roles shown progression over time or is it the same role just in different places?

It really isn't great to see such a patterns - its one of the first things we would look into, and when checking references would check each situation for the past 3-4 roles with what the prior company said.

In a junior role, we'd be looking for you to achieve success by moving within the company and being promoted or adjacent (typical on a graduate program for instance) - so would look to see at least an upwards move before jumping out again. You are unlikely to have completed any structured training through to completion - so may want to consider how to rectify this.

Before jumping again, you probably do need to decide what you are looking for so you can nowachieve 4-5 years within a company and fulfil your needs - not in the same role, but continuous commitment and progression. Once you've done this, the history will be reset and not be questioned.

If you believe you've suffered workplace bullying more than once in different companies, it's possible your expectations are not correct - workplaces can be very competitive.

Why do you want to leave after one year? In practice you're unlikely to have achieved anything substantive, and are just starting to have to be responsible for your actions - what exactly is it that you feel has changed? Do most people around you stay for just one year - if not, why is your experience different?