“Success comes not from having certainty, but being able to live with uncertainty.”
― Jeffrey Fry
If you are a hiring manager, then you know the scenario. You have a great-looking resume that is showing all the experiences you need. However, the candidate has job-hopped quite a bit. Understandably so, you are hesitant to entertain a job hopper for an interview for fearing the candidate will not be a worthy investment. To make things more challenging, you are seeing “job-hopping” more and more on the resumes you receive. You may have also realized that this just may be the growing face of the current and future candidate pools. You’re likely correct and, to excel, you will have to be able to select your organization’s future leaders from a highly mobile candidate pool. The good news is that there are a lot great candidates that have changed jobs frequently. The key is to separate the future leaders from the costly hiring endeavors. We hope to help. Here are four things to look for when making these hiring decisions:
1. Look for people who are running toward something. Target candidates who are moving because they are looking for something you can give them that other employers have not. Some examples of this include challenge, work that is stimulating and interesting, and clear opportunities for growth or advancement. Candidates should be able to clearly articulate the progression they were seeking when making moves in the past as well as what they are running toward now.
2. Avoid people who are running away from things. This is the flip side of the point above. So, you want individuals who are running toward something, but equally important is to avoid people who are running away. Beware of candidates who voice complaints about why they have not been able to be successful, or about “bad” employers and circumstances.
3. Hire people who understand the opportunities you are offering. Candidates should clearly be able to see how what you offer as a match for what interests and motivates them. Candidates need to be able to clearly describe why they want to work at your organization in the role you are offering. This will help you make sure they have done the basic thinking needed to make a commitment.
4. Look for someone who has interests or hobbies that they have committed to. Sure, the candidate may have moved around in their career, but if they demonstrate passion and commitment in other areas of their life then they may be a dependable and passionate worker.
It can be tough as a hiring manager to get past the frequent career moves and not immediately dismiss the candidate. However, with these four things in mind, you can separate the gems from the others and build a high-achieving, passionate team at your organization.
Have you hired job hoppers before? Tell us about your experience in the comments below!
Hi, I am Mark. This is my bio. If you haven’t figured it out yet, I am using the first person for this bio. First person is hard because you have to illuminate your success without bragging. However, I am giving it a try. Forgive me if I brag too much or too little.
I like to make things better. StrengthsFinder says I am a Maximizer. They say a Maximizer should find a career where he/she is helping people succeed. I took that advice seriously. After selling my last company, I started TeamBuilder Search to help clients succeed by solving recruiting and staffing challenges while helping business professionals elevate their careers.
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