Ask HN: How long to not be a job hopper? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: How long to not be a job hopper?

2 pointsjh-th6 comments

I'm really miserable in my current job and am getting some headaches and general burnout because of the work conditions (very loud, no space, no one takes sick days, bad lighting, long hours without breaks being culturally acceptable). I am so worn down at the end of the day that I no longer have the motivation to exercise, so I've gained fat and lost muscle (haven't really "gained weight" though). My resting heart rate has gone up and I just generally feel terrible all of the time. But I am afraid of being permanently branded as a job hopper[1] and never being able to find a job again, so I am not sure when I can quit. I am coming up on two years of this next month.

I also feel so demotivated and don't know how to begin looking for jobs - I haven't done that for about 6 years, as I was directly recruited into this one.

[1] see this article... https://bothsidesofthetable.com/never-hire-job-hoppers-never-they-make-terrible-employees-e30cd5ff7322#.3u7f2gt34

From the article you cited:

"Look at some of the uber-successful icons of Silicon Valley / Technology: Larry Ellison, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Larry/Sergey, Eric Schmidt, Andy Groves, John Doerr. Not job hoppers."

Yeah, if I owned the company and/or made millions of dollars a year from it (like all these guys), I probably wouldn't be looking for another job either. (And it's Andy Grove, not Groves.)

Note that this article is written from the point of view of an employer, not an employee. An employer would obviously be thrilled if their employees stuck around for many years, even if the work environment sucked and compensation was below average. It's great for them. Not that great for the employees, though. You shouldn't be more committed to your employer than they are to you (which isn't very much).

Of course... but employers do the hiring, so my opinion doesn't really matter. I need money to survive, and if I can never get hired again I can't get money. I already took a pay cut to come to this job.

In this market, 1 year. Update your LinkedIn profile and see who contacts you. People with good resumes get contacted 6 months after taking a job, just in case they don't like it, or it's a contract.

That article was written by Mark Suster, smart guy, but he's in startups. Losing a key person from a startup is more painful than most companies.

I suggest you start looking now, because to be honest, that bad office environment you describe is becoming very common. You may have a longer search to find a place with cubicles or private offices. In the meantime, buy over the ear hearing protection to block out the noise and discourage interruptions.

Also, wake up an hour early to work on your job search and learn new things. If you wait until the end of the day, you won't have the energy.

> I am coming up on two years of this next month.

I thought you were gonna say you were coming up on two months... It seems like you were at your previous employer for 4 years!? There is no way you would be interpreted as a "job hopper" by the managers and recruiters I have worked with through the years.

Dude, quit!

There are a lot of anecdotes in that article. Where is the evidence to back his claims?

I don't see how that matters. If employers won't hire job hoppers, even for bad reasons, I need to avoid ever becoming one.

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