How To Handle Job-Hopping Questions During An Interview

One of the symptoms of the nineties' explosiveperformance was outstanding. Ever resourceful, I
economy with plenty of leading-edge opportunities torose to the occasion and sought and found new
choose from, higher salaries, promotions inopportunities."
responsibility and title, and constant recruiter calls2)Then highlight the positive about the situation: "I
wooing the best from one company to the next, isgathered a breadth of experience and knowledge in
that many professionals were left with resumes thata short amount of time and consistently
reflect high turnover.outperformed goals and objectives. It provided
Although recruiters were very much involved inintense growth in my career enabling me to utilize
promoting the job-hopping of the era, they are nowflexibility, adaptability, and strategic thinking,
in a place to be highly selective and many of them,pioneering initiatives that constantly enhanced the
and their client companies, are placing emphasis oncustomer's experience and the company's bottom
the stability issue in selecting their potentialline.
employees."For example: (give an example of an outstanding
How do you effectively address a job-hoppingachievement or two in which you brought solid value
history? A key is to shift the paradigm from 'stabilityto the company).
of employment' to 'consistency of performance'.3) Finally complete the shifting of the paradigm by
1) First note the obvious: "With such an incrediblyclosing with: "Let me show you how my consistency
buoyant economy at the time, providing a multitudein achievement can enhance your customers'
of leading-edge growth opportunities, I wasexperience and provide growth to your company's
constantly recruited because of my reputation forbottom line. (then share key points from your value
excellence from one company to the next, withproposition that are relevant to the company you are
higher salary and greater responsibilities."interviewing with).
Or:"I am looking for a company that is stable and set
"With such a buoyant economy at the time togetherfor growth, where I might be a strong contributor
with the strong flow of venture capital funding andfor a very long time; tell me, how is this company
new technology advances, companies were started,set for growth?"
were acquired, or lost funding within the space ofTry this strategy; I think you'll find it's a powerful
two years. Three of the four companies I workedway to minimize frequent job change issues.
for suffered this fate, even though my particularCopyright 2008, Kim Batson.