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How frequent change of employment looks good on a resume for a person in their 20s?

Let's say a 26 year old graduate changes companies every:
- Less than 6 months
- 6 months
- 1 year
- 18 months
- 2 years

Does it make a difference when applying for another job and to what extent?

Reply 1

Reality Check

Original post by Robert Walpole

Let's say a 26 year old graduate changes companies every:
- Less than 6 months
- 6 months
- 1 year
- 18 months
- 2 years

Does it make a difference when applying for another job and to what extent?

Just to note that unless you are American, we use the phrase 'CV', not 'resumé'. :smile:

Reply 2

username1240252

Original post by Reality Check

Just to note that unless you are American, we use the phrase 'CV', not 'resumé'. :smile:

Fair point

Reply 3

gjd800

I stayed at a couple of jobs fewer than a month back in 08-09 :lol:

Reply 4

username1240252

Original post by gjd800

I stayed at a couple of jobs fewer than a month back in 08-09 :lol:

Wow thank you for sharing this experience and actually I wanted to ask this exact question - what do you then do with that experience? How do you outline it on your applications etc? Do you list those less than 1 month jobs individually and explain the context on your applications?

Reply 5

gjd800

Original post by Robert Walpole

I lumped em under one head, something like 'short term contract work' and nobody ever really cared

I don't put them on since I've started using an 'academuc cv', so no problem!

Reply 6

username1240252

And would you say after approximately what period of time would it not be a 'red flag' as such to move from a permanent contract from let's say a "junior" role at bank A to a mid-level analyst role at bank B? For bank B or any future employer not to see it as a red flag as such? Is a year sufficient or more like 18 months - 2 years+?

Reply 7

username1240252

That is amazingly impressive - 10 different companies and no gaps

Approximately how often did you change companies and was it because you wanted a higher position at the next company as compared to the one from which you would have departed? How long was your shortest employment that you still list and how long was the longest if you don't mind me asking - this is really just out of curiousity because although I am currently very much employed I am also applying for other positions

Reply 8

DrSocSciences

The adage used to be that you needed to work for 2yrs before jumping ship. I suspect that duration has reduced significantly in the last 10 years.

Reply 9

Zarek

Leaving too many jobs before you could reasonably be expected to have achieved much or on a timescale where there could be suspicion that you were booted out is not good