Job hopping in New Zealand: how often is too often to change jobs?

What employers look for

Hiring managers are not counting years so much as reading a story. The question behind every CV is whether you will stay long enough to learn the job, contribute, and be worth the cost of hiring and training you. A pattern of moves that each bring more responsibility answers that question well. A pattern of short stays at the same level raises doubts.

Short stays are common, and one or two will not raise eyebrows. In Stats NZ's Survey of Working Life (late 2018, the most recent edition we could find), about a quarter of employed people had been in their current job for less than a year. What stands out is a run of them, especially early exits that look unplanned.

Context matters too. Expectations also vary by field: moving every two or three years may be unremarkable in fast-moving work, while in fields that value depth a short stay may need more explanation.

Where the pay gains are, and where they stop

Changing jobs can bring a bigger rise than staying, because a new employer has to match the market to hire you, although the gap varies with the job market. But the gains are not endless. Each move carries costs: a new trial period or probation, time to build a reputation again, and sometimes a gap between roles. Leave too soon and you may not have achieved enough to show at the next interview, which weakens your case for a higher offer.

The moves that pay best are usually the ones that come with a step up in scope, not only in salary. A move made after you have delivered something you can point to gives you a stronger story, and a stronger negotiating position, than a move made to escape a bad month.

Explaining short stints

Every short stay needs a one-line explanation that is true and looks forward. For example:

• "The role changed after a restructure, and it was no longer the job I had taken on."
• "I was offered a role that moved me into project leadership, which is what I had been working toward."
• "It was not the right fit, and I learned what I need in a team, which is why this role appeals."

Keep it short, never criticise the old employer, and move straight to why the new role fits. If you left a job during a trial period, you can say so plainly. Trial periods of up to 90 days can be agreed by any employer with a new employee, and a short explanation is usually enough. Our article on explaining redundancy in an interview covers the most common reason people move unexpectedly.

Fixed terms and contracts are not hopping

A string of short roles is not job hopping if each one was meant to be short. Fixed-term roles, contracts, seasonal work and parental leave cover all end by design. Make that obvious on your CV: put "fixed term" or "contract" beside the title, with the length, so a reader does not mistake a planned ending for an early exit.

The same goes for redundancy and restructures. A role that ended because the job disappeared says nothing about your commitment. Say so briefly, and move on to what you did next. Our article on fixed-term against permanent roles covers how the two differ.

Keeping the reasons for each move on record

Years later, it is surprisingly hard to remember exactly why you left each job, and interviewers ask. Keep a short record of each role: the dates, the title, what you achieved, and the real reason you moved on. It makes your CV consistent, your interview answers confident, and the pattern of your moves easy to explain. Our article on staying at one job too long covers the opposite worry.

In jobtracker.co.nz, when a job ends, Your Career keeps it with its dates, title, your wins in it and the reason it ended, and your notes can hold the fuller story. You can see how Your Career keeps a current job in the demo, which needs no account.

Keep the story of each move