Would you hire a job hopper?

[Stopsignhank]

I need to find a maintenance mechanic and one resume is good, but he only lasts 2 years on a job. He even gave his reasons for leaving on his resume they are

RFL: gave notice
RFL: gave notice
RFL: Leave of absences for family member that fell ill (however there is no time lapse between jobs)
RFL: Company moved
RFL, new opportunity

I don't really want to hire a guy that I know will be gone in 2 years. Curious what everyone else thinks.

 

[Ruptga]

If two years is job hopping, what would you consider normal? Six months is a flake, two years is just meh.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I personally would avoid it unless there's no other choice. Also depends on how much of a pain it is to get someone, if it's a small shop and there's no politics that make the process a nightmare probably less of a big deal. Where I work it's like pulling teeth trying to replace someone and can take almost a year, so they always make sure to get someone solid so they don't have to go through the process again.

 

[purbeast0]

I don't consider 2 years job hopping at all. I'd hire him if he was fit for the job.

 

[Scarpozzi]

Those could be the best 2 years of your life though....

Seriously, nothing is guaranteed with anyone. People can leave a job anytime they want...just like you can terminate for similar reasons (in many states). If he's the best out of the pool, consider the pros and cons of the other individual you would select. Figure out which one you'd rather be stuck with for any amount of time. Who knows, maybe he'll stick around longer if he likes it there.

 

[Stopsignhank]

Interesting. Turn over here is very low. The mechanic he is replacing was here for 23 years and was promoted, that is the reason for the opening. The other mechanics have been here 16 and 10 years. So yeah I consider 2 years to be job hopping.

I have been here since 1993, although there was an absence in the middle to be a stay at home dad, but then the company hired me back.

 

[Cal166]

2 years isn't bad at all, what I dislike is someone who mostly does consultant gigs who stays .5-2 years.

 

[Ns1]

I leave every job position after 2 years.

 

[Stopsignhank]

I leave every job position after 2 years.

If you don't mind me asking, why? I obviously do not do that. I am fifty something and have only had 2 jobs after college.

 

[cbrunny]

Seems pretty reasonable to me. I know a guy that would leave every 4-6 years. I've had a new job every two years since I started working (same org though).

 

[Ns1]

If you don't mind me asking, why? I obviously do not do that. I am fifty something and have only had 2 jobs after college.

Learn new skills, get more knowledge, earn more money. Staying in the same job for a long time is a good way to stagnate your career these days (at least in my industry).

 

[Stopsignhank]

Learn new skills, get more money. Staying in the same job for a long time is a good way to stagnate your career these days (at least in my industry).

That is true, but as a hiring manager I don't think I want to spend the time to train someone so have them leave. We are kind of a specialized industry and it will take 6 months before this person is fully trained.

At least that is how I am thinking now. I will admit you guys are making me look at him again.

 

[cbrunny]

What industry?

 

[Ns1]

That is true, but as a hiring manager I don't think I want to spend the time to train someone so have them leave. We are kind of a specialized industry and it will take 6 months before this person is fully trained.

At least that is how I am thinking now. I will admit you guys are making me look at him again.

I am also a hiring manager, and it is what it is. The high performing ones don't want to stay around long because they'll always want to move on up. So it's either up or out. To this point, I just took a lateral to get some new skills; if this doesn't lead to a promotion in a year, I'm out.

If you want someone to stay around a long time, you find a middle of the road guy who's got a family and wants to settle down, not a guy who's hungry.

 

[nakedfrog]

I leave every job position after 2 years.

Gotta chase that paper, son!

 

[DaveSimmons]

It's a point against them for me but not a deal-breaker. But my employer has almost no turnover and what there has been was mostly life changes for the people leaving.

 

[z1ggy]

It depends on how long it takes to train a person and for them to be self sustaining in their job. It also depends what your normal attrition rate it. If it takes 6-12 months for a person to be "fully trained" then it's not worth hiring people unless you think they'll stay for probably 5+ years. If it's a job where they can be up and running in a month or two, then in 2 years you'll certainly get your money's worth out of them.

 

[BoomerD]

2 years isn't bad. In my over 30 years in the workplace, I only had a few jobs that lasted that long. Of course, most of my work was out of a union hall...short, temporary construction work...but I had several opportunities to work full time for one contractor or another.
"Thanks, but no thanks. I like to keep moving around."

 

[Chaotic42]

I guess I'm lucky. My company and job allow me to stay on top of new skills and if I perform well I get new tasks, responsibilities, raises, and promotions. They genuinely want to nurture talent and keep people motivated.

 

[Stopsignhank]

To answer some of the questions, we are a specialized manufacturing facility. Don't want to say what type, they don't know the moniker Stopsignhank and I would prefer to leave it that way. This is also a maintenance position, there really is no job growth or expansion. You come in, do your job, get paid on Friday, rinse and repeat. I am not interested in someone who wants to move up in the organization, because it is not going to happen. So the job I am hiring for is really a different mind set than the ATOT crowd. For instance the guy I am looking for wants to work on Saturday so he can get OT. I would prefer NOT to work on Saturdays.

 

[Ns1]

Sounds like you should find out why he jumps ship after 2 years. If it's "seeking upward mobility" then it seems pretty cut and dry.

 

[Chaotic42]

I'd pass then or at least let him know you're looking for a career employee.

 

[Imp]

Two years is pretty long to me.

You can't really hire anyone these days if you follow all the bullshit "rules" out there.

 

[AznAnarchy99]

Yeah I'm at 2.5 years at my job right now and if I wasn't in the middle of escrow right now, I'd be out of here.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

Sounds pretty terrible. Most dead end jobs prefer robots to free thinking people that demand more. Anyplace that is a stickler for job history says to me that they treat employees terribly and want someone that can roll with the punches they are going to throw.