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More and more professionals are open to changing jobs frequently, also referred to as ‘job hopping’, rather than staying put for a long period of time, but could a history of ‘job hopping’ impact your chances of being hired in the future?
According to new research from Hays, based on a survey with over 8,000 responses, over four in ten (42%) employers would be less likely to hire an applicant who has regularly switched roles throughout their career.
Over a third (37%) of employers say knowing an applicant has previously job hopped would have no impact on their decision to hire them, followed by 17% who are unsure if this knowledge would affect their decision.
Significantly more employers in the private sector (47%) say job hopping could deter them from giving a prospective employee a chance, compared to hiring managers in the public sector (37%).
In terms of different attitudes across generations, employers over the age of 50 (45%) would be less likely to hire someone who has frequently moved jobs than employers under the age of 30 (35%).
Almost a quarter (24%) of professionals moved jobs in the last six months and 41% considered taking the plunge, with just 3% who didn’t change jobs or consider it. Looking ahead, nearly half (45%) of professionals anticipate they will next move jobs within six months.
Close to a third (31%) of professionals say they are unsure how often they expect to change jobs in their career. Over a quarter (27%) of workers believe they will move roles every three to four years and just under a quarter (24%) expect to move every five to ten years.
Less than one in ten (8%) professionals plan to switch roles every one to two years and even less (1%) predict they’ll move jobs every year, leaving 8% who have already been in their role for over 10 years.
Most professionals under 30 expect to change jobs every 3 to 4 years (40%) suggesting the days of long stints in one organisation will eventually become less common.
Emma Kwiatkowski, Director of Permanent Appointments at Hays UK&I, comments: “As our research shows, many employers value loyalty and stability and frown upon job hopping, particularly when there’s no explanation as to why a professional has changed roles so often.
We are seeing greater movement on CVs, but this is sometimes due to factors beyond the control of professionals such as ongoing implications of the COVID pandemic, widespread redundancies and reduced job security in a challenging market.
It’s important that employers come to terms with the increase in professionals moving around more often than once before, especially with Gen Z entering the workforce, but professionals similarly need to be prepared to justify how any given move has supported their personal and professional growth.
Over the years, loyalty to companies has shifted as professionals have become open minded to the benefits that changing jobs regularly could bring about. Workers who move around every three to four years could reap rewards such as a salary increase, network growth and a wider range of experience to ultimately broaden their horizons.
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About the research:
The survey on which these findings are based was carried out between 3rd-19th February 2025 and received 8,247 responses from employers and employees working in a range of organisations and sectors across the UK.
Contact
Contact information for any media enquiries relating to Hays UK and Ireland: PR team number: 020 3040 0282 PR team email: public.relations@hays.com
About Hays
Hays plc (the "Group") is the world’s leading specialist in workforce solutions and recruitment, such as RPO and MSP. The Group is the expert at recruiting qualified, professional, and skilled people worldwide, being the market leader in the UK, Germany, and Australia and one of the market leaders in Continental Europe, Latin America, and Asia. The Group operates across the private and public sectors, dealing in permanent positions, contract roles and temporary assignments. As of 30 June 2024, the Group employed over 11,100 staff operating from 236 offices in 33 countries. For the year ended 30 June 2024:
