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Hey Coach!
My parents told me that I should stay in my first few jobs for at least a year so that I don’t negatively affect my career path by looking like a “job-hopper”. While the idea of demonstrating that I can keep a job for a reasonable amount of time is important, I also know that things have changed and that young folks like me often don’t stay in jobs for very long. What is your opinion about how long I should spend in a job so that my résumé doesn’t suggest I am a “job-hopper”?
 
Great question. As much as I wish I could provide you with a magic number for the time you should spend in a job, my real answer is that it depends. It is very true that when recruiters review résumés, they definitely look at the time a candidate has spent in each job along their career path. It is also true that employers like to see evidence of stability BUT times have changed and the idea that folks will stay in the same job long enough to collect a gold watch is a thing of the past. The average job tenure these days is definitely on the decline. So my advice to you is to strike a balance between staying in a job for a reasonable amount of time and making sure you are being true to your own career goals and aspirations. Another thing to be aware of is that you should not deny the power of timing. So many things in our lives often boil down to being in the right place at the right time and our ability to recognize opportunities. So, the decision to stay in a job may come down to your goals and the ability of your job to help you meet these goals vs. other, better opportunities. I believe that while recruiters do look at job stability, they also look at your ability to know what you want for yourself and to proactively work towards making choices that allow you to meet your own personal goals. The bottom line is that awareness of what is meaningful to you and your ambitions is the most important thing that should guide your career choices. That being said, it is a good idea to try and seek some degree of stability. Don’t just quit a job without a suitable alternative. Another personal rule that I live by is that each new job should represent an upgrade over the previous one. Try to think through your choices carefully and be able to justify the moves that you’ve made when you are asked about them. jp