Have you ever been rejected for a job just because you've had a few job switches in your career? I overheard Shivani, recruiter at Channelplay say just that the other day, which got me thinking - what's the acceptable number of job switches on your resume?
Recently, we interviewed a candidate named Kartik for a Relationship Associate position at JSW. He had four job switches in the last five years.
And his story was fascinating:
The first one was a job he needed urgently for personal reasons, and found out about a Eureka Forbes walk-in via an ad in a newspaper. This was a tough job, and he was always looking for a second one. So moved on to a home appliances company. This was for a year and a half, but aspiration led him to Paytm (which he found via @Naukri). Was on the roles of NetAmbit, and the job was around retailer onboarding. In ten months it was clear that this did not have much future. “Lucknow mein kitni dukaan bana sakte hain.” So, Udaan happened. B2B orders had to be secured from restaurants, and the job was interesting but in ten months Udaan decided to not focus on this business. Laid off. Grofers was the next stop, but once Zomato acquired the business they decided to change the dark stores model. Heard about the JSW job at Channelplay via, again, Naukri.
External factors often dictate job switches, indeed. And let's not forget the financial growth that comes along with it!
But for recruiters like Shivani, job-hopping raises red flags. After all, hiring budgets are always more than retention budgets.
Should we invest time and resources in training employees who have a history of job hopping? Loyalty and commitment are undoubtedly crucial, but as employers, we must also provide opportunities for learning and growth. This creates an environment that supports both employee retention and career advancement.
So, what's the verdict? While too many job switches may raise concerns, it's essential to understand the reasons behind them. By working together and providing employees with opportunities for growth, we can build a workforce that is both committed and engaged.
Disclaimer: The names of people and companies mentioned in this content have been changed to protect their privacy.