Why you should hire a job hopper
When searching for new talent, it’s common to come across candidates who have changed jobs quickly, multiple times in their career—even in the past 12 months. In these cases, even if someone ticks all the boxes, you may wonder if they’re right for the role – after all, if you offer them the job, there’s a risk they’ll hop out of it, too. Not ideal, given it takes a huge amount of time, resources, and money to recruit, induct and train a new employee.
Many job seekers worry that having short work stints will hurt their chances in the job search. In fact, SEEK data shows that 63% of candidates believe it’s important to stay in a role for at least 12 months to make their resumé look stronger. However, 50% of hirers take either a positive or neutral view on job hopping, suggesting they may not be as much of a disadvantage as candidates think.
While “job hopping” may have been frowned upon in the past, times have changed, and now, length of employment is less of an indicator of a candidate’s suitability. In fact, people who have had many different roles, even in a short time frame, often bring a wealth of experience, knowledge and skills that add value to a business and team. As with any hire, it’s all about how you approach the recruitment process to minimise the risks.
What is job hopping and why is it more common these days?
Job hopping is when a person changes roles frequently (every one to two years) and often without any long stints (three-plus years) in one organisation.
In the past, this was seen as a red flag, a sign someone lacked loyalty, commitment or resilience, says Greg Kouwiloyan, Director of Method Recruitment Group. But this has changed as the job market has shifted.
“Career growth, restructures, contract work, and even poor leadership can all be valid reasons for an employee to move roles,” he says. “It’s no longer fair to assume someone who’s had a few short stints is unreliable; sometimes they’re just searching for the right fit, culture or environment.”
Why people job hop and the benefits it can bring
Candidates job hop for a range of reasons, such as career progression, learning new skills, culture mismatch, better pay or because they engage in project-based work. Many of these reasons greatly outweigh any negative connotations of job hopping. In some industries, such as technology, changing jobs often is the norm – or even encouraged.
To an employer’s benefit, these individuals often bring fresh ideas, adaptability and can hit the ground running. They’ve often experienced a lot in a short time, which can bring new perspectives and real value, especially in fast-paced workplaces.
Kouwiloyan has seen first-hand many times when a job hopper has been the perfect fit for a position. One candidate he placed had five roles in six years. On paper, it looked concerning. But in each case, they’d joined project-based finance teams, delivered strong results and moved on when the work wrapped up or the culture wasn’t right.
They landed the job and ended up staying with the next company for more than four years, moving into a leadership role and becoming one of their most valued hires.
“Sometimes, it’s not about whether they’ve moved, it’s about why and what they’ve learned along the way, and how this knowledge can be transferred across to the new role,” he says.
How to tell if a job hopper is a good fit
While you might be cautious, the hiring process for a job hopper is generally no different from any other candidate.
“In my opinion, a competent recruiter or interviewer will identify this risk and treat the candidate equally, the same as a regular hire,” says Tracey Montgomery, General Manager at Pure Source Recruitment. “The interviewer may need to probe and qualify a bit deeper, but a job hopper is equally capable of being a great fit for a role in the same way a general hire would be.”
If you want to dig deeper in an interview, a good place to start is to ask about the story behind each move. Get curious – not critical – and explore the reasoning behind switching jobs, suggests Kouwiloyan.
Questions to ask a job hopper in an interview:
Why did you leave each role?
What were you looking for that you didn’t find?
What would make you stay long-term?
What are you hoping to achieve in your next position?
“If the candidate is self-aware, growth-minded and has clear intentions, it’s a good sign,” he says. “Look at how they speak about previous employers, how they reflect on the lessons learned and whether they’re clear about what they want next.”
Just because someone didn’t commit to a role in the past doesn’t mean they won’t in the future, says Montgomery. That’s the point of the recruitment process. “What’s uncovered during the interview process can then be further explored by the process of comprehensive reference checking.”
Don't let a varied work history scare you off a great hire. Job hoppers can bring new energy, diverse skills and fresh ideas to your team. Focus on understanding their motivations, follow a thorough recruitment process and remember: they might be exactly what you’re looking for.
Source: Independent research conducted by Nature of behalf of SEEK, interviewing 4000 Kiwis annually. Published September 2025.