Job hopping has always been a tricky proposition: If you switch jobs too often, it can be a red flag to prospective employers. But if you strike the right balance, it can actually boost your earnings potential and advance your career. In the aftermath of the pandemic, as the job market swung in their favor, many workers—especially younger ones—seemed to shed the stigma associated with job hopping and embrace its potential.
The tide has since turned, as the job market has entered a period of stasis. Amid a hiring slowdown and widespread AI adoption, workers have become more hesitant to leave their jobs. A new study published this month reveals that workers who change jobs frequently still face penalties when they seek a new role—and employers also pay the price when they hire those workers.
Researchers at the University of Iowa reviewed data from nearly 68,000 applicants for two separate jobs and found that there was a pattern of workers getting fewer offers when they switched jobs too often, and that voluntary job hopping was also tied to higher turnover and lower job performance.
There was one exception to these findings: When job hopping led to promotions and clear career growth, the penalty was smaller, and the same was true when they had enough relevant work experience.
Across interviews with 140 hiring managers, the researchers discovered that many of them still used job hopping as a proxy for evaluating those traits, drawing conclusions about their future job performance or whether someone would be loyal to an employer. But the study also confirmed that there was, in fact, a correlation between those attributes and whether a worker had switched jobs often. (The definition of job hopping varied based on industry norms, but the HR professionals who were surveyed often characterized it as staying at jobs for no more than 1-2 years.)
As one HR practitioner quoted in the study said: “Job hopping could be positive if it is done as career advancement. It can be negative if it does not provide a clear benefit. This could be indicative of a problem person who starts over due to the inability to maintain positive working relationships.”
The study’s findings seem to align with the conventional wisdom around job hopping.
For many employees, it can be an effective way to get a leg up in their career, especially early on, and there’s plenty of data that shows it can yield significant raises. In other cases, it can be a useful tactic for acquiring a diverse set of skills, as some Gen Z workers have discovered. Sometimes it’s not a choice at all, if workers are the target of a layoff—or a few—or were only hired on a contract basis.
Still, despite the potential upside, job hopping always carries some risk, especially in industries where it may be more frowned upon, and workers should be savvy about how they frame their résumé. As HR experts have told Fast Company, being honest about your track record and coming to an interview prepared to explain your career moves can go a long way.
But the study also suggests that it helps to make intentional choices in the first place when you are voluntarily job hopping—and to think hard about what a new employer has to offer before jumping ship.
