We all know that job hopping is the best way to get a raise. But how much is too much?

Is one year at each job a good amount of time? I'm early in my career and finding it possible to make huge jumps by leaving, while my current company thinks they can "figure out a way to increase comp package next year" (maybe, probably not).

Worse, knowing you can do the next role but keeping you where you are because the company needs someone there.

I'm always interviewing and will probably start actively interviewing here soon to know my market value, but how much is too much?

I don't think it matters much as long as you can sell it. 1 year is more than OK.

It's funny to me how corporations don't repay loyalty. I mean a pay raise of 1 to 4% for the same position is almost like an insult. Nowadays, they seem to value new hires a lot, even internal promotions don't really add up to significant pay raises. You can get 10-20% extra while a competitor will give you 40-50%.

At an early age, 1 year is ok.
One can also omit positions from one's resume, if push comes to shove.

One thing though - when you hop, think about the next position after the one you are taking.

Quote: (06-24-2017 02:23 PM)TheMaleBrain Wrote:  

At an early age, 1 year is ok.
One can also omit positions from one's resume, if push comes to shove.

One thing though - when you hop, think about the next position after the one you are taking.

Next position I plan on staying in for a while (2-3 years) and pays significantly more, the one right now was meant to be temporary and only get me into an industry.

If we're talking job hopping purely for compensation, depends on how much the raise is. 50% and all else is equal? Skip town every fucking time. I don't care if you started yesterday. But I wouldn't bounce for a 10% raise.

Depends on the competition as well. If you're in a small niche industry and there are only 4-6 players in town....you won't be able to hop around much in the future. My previous company had a 20% market share in my previous city, but in some places it had 60+%. The competitors were so small, it was a joke.

So this brings the next point, don't hop around much to where you are burning bridges. Some industries are small and word will get around.

When you're starting, I would say a year is acceptable. You will learn the rules in 3 months, the job in 6, and finally "add" value from month 6-12. Good thing you asked, I've seen some resumes out there where the guy has 2-8 months in each job. It only made me wonder how this dude had 6 different jobs in 3-4 years.

Keep looking until you find a combination of high salary and good work conditions. Don't worry about what other employers think about your job hopping history, particularly in early years of your career.

Just to provide some perspective from the other side - I work at a very small law firm, and we recently decided to pass on an otherwise qualified candidate (she had about fifteen years experience) because she never stayed at any position for more than 1.5 years. However, she's been hopping around for fifteen years - her resume was extremely long, and she said that her ability to work for numerous employers allowed her to learn from many mentors, be exposed to a myriad of different work situations, etc.

My partners weren't having it - they liked her, but said she was too much of a liability - we would spend time training her, and then she would bounce on us.

I think for someone just starting out though (or for the first maybe five years of your career) if you have a good reason for every job hop - you are good.

Keep in mind the experience above is from a small / boutique, so we value loyalty more than a large company would (I've never really worked in a very large company, so don't know how hiring decisions are made).

I would only jump if the bump in pay was at least 20%. Try for 25% or more. But this is an old HR rule of thumb, so often times their offer will be exactly 20% over where you are now.

20% shouldn't be hard. You likely have relevant experience and if you have been with your current firm for any amount of time you are probably underpaid.

Quote: (06-25-2017 02:18 PM)Hypno Wrote:  

I would only jump if the bump in pay was at least 20%. Try for 25% or more. But this is an old HR rule of thumb, so often times their offer will be exactly 20% over where you are now.

20% shouldn't be hard. You likely have relevant experience and if you have been with your current firm for any amount of time you are probably underpaid.

I'm in a niche of sales that pays very well and recruiters are always bugging me & my coworkers.

Raise would be 100% or so -- I like my current company but of course more money would be very nice.

Quote: (06-25-2017 02:03 PM)fortysix Wrote:  

Just to provide some perspective from the other side - I work at a very small law firm, and we recently decided to pass on an otherwise qualified candidate (she had about fifteen years experience) because she never stayed at any position for more than 1.5 years. However, she's been hopping around for fifteen years - her resume was extremely long, and she said that her ability to work for numerous employers allowed her to learn from many mentors, be exposed to a myriad of different work situations, etc.

My partners weren't having it - they liked her, but said she was too much of a liability - we would spend time training her, and then she would bounce on us.

I think for someone just starting out though (or for the first maybe five years of your career) if you have a good reason for every job hop - you are good.

Keep in mind the experience above is from a small / boutique, so we value loyalty more than a large company would (I've never really worked in a very large company, so don't know how hiring decisions are made).

This X100. Job hopping kills your credibility, and will come back to bite you in the ass if you ever get laid off when older. Unless you're extremely mature, and have a plan for the extra money the hopping would bring, it's not worth it since your spending will go up with the added income... and you'll still be at the same networth, but with no equity invested in a company, and possibly a tarnished reputation. Not worth it! Just put yourself on the other side of the table... and the answer to your question is very very simple to answer. As you get up there in age... this game wears on you.

I worked as a Recruiter for many years. When I had to hire someone for a position requiring 10 years of experience, some Managers would prefer a candidate who only had 2 jobs (5 years at each place, because it shows more stability). Others would prefer someone with 5 jobs (2 years each place), because they've experienced different environments.

Don't worry too much about it when you're young. When you get older, you'll probably omit some jobs you've had to make yourself look more stable, and to adapt your CV for the job you'll apply to (it's perfectly fine to do so, just be honest if they ask you "did you have other jobs that you didn't include on your resume?").

Quote: (06-25-2017 03:33 PM)Soyouz Wrote:  

I worked as a Recruiter for many years. When I had to hire someone for a position requiring 10 years of experience, some Managers would prefer a candidate who only had 2 jobs (5 years at each place, because it shows more stability). Others would prefer someone with 5 jobs (2 years each place), because they've experienced different environments.

Don't worry too much about it when you're young. When you get older, you'll probably omit some jobs you've had to make yourself look more stable, and to adapt your CV for the job you'll apply to (it's perfectly fine to do so, just be honest if they ask you "did you have other jobs that you didn't include on your resume?").

I will probably omit the first few jobs out of college at that point.

"Yeah, I hopped a little bit right of college to find where I would fit best"

With most jobs, you are net negative for the first 3-6 months, and net break-even for an employer is generally not before one year in.

Cost of switching is also lower when you're young in career and more in processing roles.

A 100% pay raise is a no brainer, though. Keep in in mind that when interviewing, I usually word it as "I was happy but a recruiter reached out for my excellent skill set / background and the opportunities for personal development at the new job were too good to ignore."

Quote: (06-25-2017 04:25 PM)polar Wrote:  

With most jobs, you are net negative for the first 3-6 months, and net break-even for an employer is generally not before one year in.

Cost of switching is also lower when you're young in career and more in processing roles.

A 100% pay raise is a no brainer, though. Keep in in mind that when interviewing, I usually word it as "I was happy but a recruiter reached out for my excellent skill set / background and the opportunities for personal development at the new job were too good to ignore."

It's a huge promotion in the industry. Everyone knows why you moved. I've already been a net positive to my current company.

Started brining in deals week 1.

Ok I need some advice.

I currently make 50-100k to keep it broad. The new job pays about double that.

My first job ever was at 9 mo before I changed industries, and I've been here almost six.

Do I jump and risk being a job hopper (or take the 1st job off my resume?).

I feel like a 50-70k raise is too much to not go there for...

Quote: (07-05-2017 04:44 PM)qwertyuiop Wrote:  

Ok I need some advice.

I currently make 50-100k to keep it broad. The new job pays about double that.

My first job ever was at 9 mo before I changed industries, and I've been here almost six.

Do I jump and risk being a job hopper (or take the 1st job off my resume?).

I feel like a 50-70k raise is too much to not go there for...

What's next? Do you want to stay in the industry of the job offered? Do you think you'll like it there? What are your exit opps and goals?

Don't omit a job from your resume, it might pop up on some checks that some companies do depending what they check. Some companies use checks that pull payroll records and hiding 12 checks is hard.

I'd say fuck it and take the new job. With the amount you'll make, saying you "got an offer you couldn't refuse" is a good story to tell as opposed to "I wanted a new work environment" that most job hoppers say.

Quote: (07-05-2017 05:07 PM)Cattle Rustler Wrote:  

Quote: (07-05-2017 04:44 PM)qwertyuiop Wrote:  

Ok I need some advice.

I currently make 50-100k to keep it broad. The new job pays about double that.

My first job ever was at 9 mo before I changed industries, and I've been here almost six.

Do I jump and risk being a job hopper (or take the 1st job off my resume?).

I feel like a 50-70k raise is too much to not go there for...

What's next? Do you want to stay in the industry of the job offered? Do you think you'll like it there? What are your exit opps and goals?

Don't omit a job from your resume, it might pop up on some checks that some companies do depending what they check. Some companies use checks that pull payroll records and hiding 12 checks is hard.

I'd say fuck it and take the new job. With the amount you'll make, saying you "got an offer you couldn't refuse" is a good story to tell as opposed to "I wanted a new work environment" that most job hoppers say.

Yeah I like this industry, this job is in the same industry as my current one.

I would have to leave soon anyways. Whether it's 6 mo or 1.5 years... at least for this big of a salary jump mainly due to companies not seeming to value current talent.

Take the new job, who cares if you're labeled a job hopper for taking a new position that's around 150,000. You can stick it out there for 3 years plus and then decide if you want to move again. If you sit on one job long enough the prior moves kind of disappear

Always step up if you have the chance, as long as its a decent increase, not just 10% etc

If changing jobs affects your ability to step up, then you won't be able to change jobs for a while.

At least you are on the highest pay you can get, instead of lingering on a lowe paid job for an imagined fear the effect of change will have.

The choice is yours. You are the driver. You can drive your ship to wherever you want today, tomorrow, or for a while

Quote: (06-25-2017 02:18 PM)Hypno Wrote:  

I would only jump if the bump in pay was at least 20%. Try for 25% or more. But this is an old HR rule of thumb, so often times their offer will be exactly 20% over where you are now.

20% shouldn't be hard. You likely have relevant experience and if you have been with your current firm for any amount of time you are probably underpaid.

How the hell would they know your previous salary though?

Can companies access that data in the US? that's scary and very creepy.

If I was aiming for a 25% raise, I would inflate my previous salary by 15 and ask for 10 on top of that. That way it looks much more reasonable and they even think they are getting an amazing deal when hiring you.


When you are young I think switching jobs is a big plus on your CV, specially if you change countries too. It shows you have guts and are able to adapt and get out of your comfort zone. Something like 1 or 2 years for your first 2-3 jobs is ok.

Actually when talking to HR girls I date here in Europe, they usually say that if a guy stays at the same place for the first 5 years it just shows he is a conformist and afraid to try new stuff, so it's a negative.

When you are 40 years old that's another story.

If it's going to pay double, I don't get why you even need to ask. DO IT RIGHT NOW.

In certain industries they won't move forward unless you disclose your comp, especially if a head hunter is involved. And you can't lie because at the finish line the background screen will require you to consent to them talking to your employer.

The ultimate job hop is to hop to learn skills and then work for yourself.

Also some background checks include a credit report which discloses your income.

^^^

Ok that makes sense from the point of view of the company.

Here in EU of course you disclose your previous company and they will call to make sure you worked there.

However I highly doubt the previous employer would disclose your salary. Employees salaries are part of the corporate secret. Having your competitors know how much you pay your employees is not a very good idea.

Actually, not even my managers know my salary. If I told them, or they asked for it, that would be a serious breach of contract.

I think there are maybe 2 people in HR that have access to salary data, most HR people can't even know. They know a very rough salary band, like "senior engineer with 5-10 years of experience is in band C, which is between 60k and 120k per year. That's all they know.




It's scary that my bank history could be publicly accessible like that. I know that the government could force my bank to tell them, and I hate the idea.
But a private company? Fuck no!