It’s OK to quit your job after less than a year, says recruiter—but there’s a catch

You’ve probably heard the oft-repeated adage that you should stay in a job for at least one year before switching. Like other popular career advice, the rule isn’t an absolute, but you shouldn’t ignore it entirely.

Half of hiring managers are reluctant to move forward with a candidate whose resume reveals a pattern of frequent job changes, according to recent research from Resume Genius.

Job-hopping isn’t a new practice, but it’s become more common in recent years — especially among Gen Z and millennial employees — due to a tight labor market.

At the start of 2024, nearly half (46%) of professionals said they were planning to quit their jobs before the end of the year — higher than the 40% who said the same ahead of 2021′s great resignation, according to a Microsoft and LinkedIn, survey of more than 30,000 people in 31 countries.

Some of them might want to consider what leaving a role too soon could mean for future job prospects.

Hiring managers have different definitions of what constitutes excessive job-hopping. For some, it might be changing jobs every 1-2 years, while others would argue it’s a shorter timeframe (opting to move after less than a year). 

Plus, there are times when it’s reasonable to leave a job before the one-year mark — like when the terms of the role (location, pay, responsibilities, etc.) change significantly, when your health or safety is at risk, or even when you’re miserable and it’s clear that’s not going to change, Jeff Hyman, an executive recruiter of 28 years, tells CNBC Make It.

The catch is this: You can only do it once with impunity. If you do it a second time or have a string of one-year stays on your resume, Hyman says, employers are going to start questioning your reliability and ability to adapt to new environments. 

Chelsea Jay, a career and leadership coach, agrees. 

“It’s become less taboo, but you don’t want it to become a habit,” she says. “You’re not winning anything by continuously job-hopping, especially if it doesn’t result in higher immediate pay or a better work environment.”

Both career experts agree: Don’t bring up the job you left — or are trying to leave — in an interview unless the hiring manager asks about it. 

If it’s an important or relevant detail to the interviewer, Hyman says the interviewer will lead with that.

Keep the conversation simple and future-focused, Jay says: The past work environment was no longer for me, and this is what I’m looking for going forward.

Then, focus on how the experience reaffirmed what you’re looking for in your next role — values like transparency, teamwork and innovation, for example — and add that you want to find a company where you can stay for a long time.

Steering the conversation in a positive direction will instill confidence in the hiring manager that “you’re not a flight risk, and someone who does their job with intention,” Hyman adds.

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