Many have said that the best way they’ve been able to secure themselves higher-paying jobs and upward career mobility is by job hopping.
The logic employed in this approach is simple—other companies are going to view an already gainfully employed candidate as a commodity because they are in a current role with another company.
Workers who do job hop appear to feel passionate about this employment tactic, and there has been a litany of responses on social media from others who feel the same.
However, a former Director of Talent Acquisition, Anna Papalia (@anna..papalia) posted a viral TikTok where she decried the practice, stating that employees are shooting themselves in the foot by frequently job hopping. She also regularly posts about best interview practices and other workplace and job-seeking-related advice.
Papalia said in her recent clip that hiring managers see individuals who are constantly moving from company to company as a red flag and financial liability. She also said that it takes workers several years in order to become professional in their positions and that leaving gigs even every two years looks bad on one’s resume.
@anna..papalia I can spot a #jobhopper a mile away, they’re the ones who always have an excuse, reason or story about all the reasons for their job moves. If this is you, if you have all these reasons why you had to leave each job, I guarantee it’s YOU! You are the common denominator and YOU are the one holding yourself back. 🥸 You gotta put down some roots to be taken seriously and get the best opportunities. 🌳 Job hopping only helps you in the short term, if you want long term success you gotta stick around someplace longer than 2 years 📆 #interviewpreparation #getanewjob2023 #unemployed #hrtips #youaretheproblem ♬ original sound – Shift Profile
She even anticipated a negative reaction to her video, stating that while she knows people are going to be upset about what she has to say, there is rarely a justification for job hopping carte blanche.
“Listen, job hoppers are in some deep level of denial and I’ve heard it all before but here’s the thing,” Papalia says in the TikTok. “If you’re a job hopper, the common denominator is you. You are choosing to move on from organizations.”
The creator continues, “Put yourself in a hiring manager’s shoes: why would they pay to onboard you and train you and invest in you if they know you’re just gonna leave in a year or year and a half? Especially if your competition has some longevity on their resume. Think about it.”
It appears that a number of TikTokers strongly disagreed with Papalia’s claim. One said that the arguments she levied against job hopping were poorly made.
“Bad advice,” they stated. “There [are] people who went from $40k to 120k in 5 years by job hopping and stay in one place and leave money on the table.”
Someone else said, “Spoken like a Hiring Manager from a real toxic company getting 2.5-star employee reviews. Keep it up girl.”
Another TikToker said job hoppers are usually a result of companies not standing by their employees, writing, “It’s unfortunate that people are treated so poorly by their employers that they have to switch jobs.”
This was a sentiment echoed by another viewer who claimed the landscape of working has changed in the past few decades.
“Loyalty was rewarded in boomer times, rarely today,” they argued.
Another was a bit blunter in their response to Papalia’s video, sharing, “Thank GAWD you’re not a recruiter anymore.”
The Daily Dot has reached out to Papalia via email for further comment.
