In 2016, for example, 21 per cent of Millennials reported switching jobs within the year, compared to about 7 per cent of generation Xers and other non-Millennials. Gallup estimates that Millennials' excessive job hopping is costing the United States' economy more than 30 billion dollars a year. Never mind, writes Forbes Magazine, though, quoting strong evidence that Millennials may not be job hopping any more than the generations that came before them. Young people simply like to experiment and switch jobs.

Quest Recruiting, based in Dublin, looks at the advantages and challenges of job hopping:

·      Diverse background – By changing your career frequently over the years, you expose yourself to different experiences that wouldn’t be possible if you were still in the same role. It shows diversity of skills and that you can settle into a new environment quickly.

·      Networking – By connecting with clients and co-workers across different jobs, you have access to a large system of people with similar interests to you.

·      Exposure – The exposure that you have gained to other aspects of business will be useful to your new employer.

But

·      Loyalty – You could have an issue further down the line trying to prove that you will stay loyal to a prospective employer.

·      Job Security – As someone who has a chequered past and is not a long-term employee with the company, you may find that you are the first to go in a round of layoffs.

·      Limited Growth – While hopping from company to company offers an initial period of fantastic growth, you may find that you don’t get to see the long-term impact of your work and move up the ranks of a company organically.

·      References – You may find that by changing jobs frequently, it is harder for you to get a good reference. This is not due to the quality of your work but rather that you did not have enough time to make as lasting an impression as you may have wished.

Gary Burnison, CEO of Korn Ferry, a headhunting firm, also warns that people can talk themselves into almost anything, like that “transformational” job opportunity that sounds too good to be true. Too many people jump too quickly, especially when they want to change jobs, relocate, or if an opportunity excites them. People willing to start something new should stay alert and look out for red flags.

There is a view that people who move around in their careers are selfish and do not have loyalty to the companies that they leave, argue the people from Quest Recruiting. However, if these moves happened because the employee is continually offered new positions at a higher level than their current employment, then those moves should be okay. “This person delivers short-term excellence over long-term mediocrity”, they claim and ambition should not be seen as a fault.

Still, there are some steps that you can take to ensure that the prospective employer sees the key elements on your CV and does not just focus on start and end dates. By using what is called a ‘functional resume’ – one that highlights your skills, achievements and abilities instead of time – you may find your chances to be called to an interview are increased. So, here are some tips when writing this kind of resume:

1.  Include an experience summary. This should focus on your top experiences and show the hiring manager that you mean business. If you have been working in various firms as an accountant, state the years of experience that you have, i.e. “X years of experience in accountancy”.

2.  Draw as much attention as you can to your skills and achievements. Having worked in different environments, you will have gathered many. Highlight this to the employer.

3.  Make your contributions to the company clear from the start. Show how your position had a transformative effect on your previous companies and that this new employer would not have to worry about getting a return on their investment into you.

4.  Don’t be afraid to omit any experience that is irrelevant to the position that you are applying for from your CV.

5.  Write a brilliant cover letter that shows you know about the sector that the company is prominent in, the company history and that you would be a valued addition to their team. 

Read more on www.questrecruitment.ie/blog/is-job-hopping-a-good-idea, www.forbes.com, www.kornferry.com