Hopping: Great for rabbits, bad for candidates

If you've changed jobs too much in a short period of time, you'll need to control the perception of this. If not, employers will assume the worst - - that you are a dreaded “job hopper.”

First off, understand why being a "job hopper" carries such a stigma. Companies will think that you...

• don't know what you want to do with your career
• leave jobs whenever things get tough and challenging
• get bored quickly
• can't make a long term commitment to a job
• are being let go from all these jobs
• will leave any job for more money

Let's face it, for some of you, these may be the real reasons. But for others, there will be more defensible explanations behind the moves you've made like...

• an acquisition where the company name changes (and you haven't actually switched jobs at all)
• the job being a short term contract
• the company (or you) relocated out of state
• a reorg where your department/project was phased out
• being laid off
• leaving for a better opportunity (career move, easier commute)

What type of pattern will draw the wrong kind of attention? If your average tenure at jobs is too short (ex: 1 1/2 year stints) or you have had multiple jobs in a short period of time (ex: 3 jobs in 5 years. If your work history puts you in jeopardy of appearing to be a job hopper. Simply control that perception by placing a brief explanation in parenthesis next to the dates of employment. The dates in the sample job history below look far less "suspect"  when accommodated with specific explanations.

Team Leader,
COMPANY E - San Francisco, CA       11/06 - present

Sr. Application Developer,
COMPANY D  - Boston, MA               10/05 -10/06 (relocated to CA)

Software Developer,
COMPANY C - Boston, MA                1/04 -9/05 (contract ended)

Software Developer,
COMPANY B - Boston, MA                8/00 -12/03 (laid off)

Junior Programmer/ Analyst,
COMPANY A - Boston, MA                 6/97 -7/00 (left:career growth)

Follow this advice along with my other suggestions for writing a great resume.