“Job Hopping a Bad Career Move If Done Frequently”, Say Employers

KUALA LUMPUR, 2 May 2013- A survey conducted by JobStreet.com showed 76 per cent of employers surveyed said an employee who works less than a year is considered to be a job hopper. Eighty-four per cent said they would not hire someone with a job hopping tendency.

On the other hand, the majority of jobseekers between the ages of 25 and 34 surveyed think job hopping is a healthy trend as they could get more experience from the different jobs. Over 65 per cent of employees surveyed said they have worked less than two years at their jobs, but most of them are already on the lookout for a new job. From the survey, it also showed that these young workers have switched jobs twice in the past 5 years.

HR managers are wary of the emerging job hopping trend as the average number of years that the Generation Y would stay in their company is only one to two years. According to employers, the reason why their young employees job hop is mainly because they are a generation of instant gratification, in which they require more reward and compensation.

Eighty-four per cent of employers also felt that Generation Y employees tend to quit their jobs more easily than those of older generations. Besides expecting immediate recognition and reward, employers also complain that the majority of young workers also demand more salary even if they have yet to prove themselves in their work performance.

Ms. Chook Yuh Yng, country manager of JobStreet.com said, “If employees job hop too often, nothing is substantial. By job hopping, it creates a new excitement for the Gen-Y employees, but they must also realize the continuous habit of switching jobs will say a lot about their restless attitude. Employers are highly unlikely to hire someone with a job hopping reputation, which will reflect in their resume.” 

Companies are also incurring huge recruitment and training costs as they race to meet their talent needs in a market dominated by job-hopping generation Y workers. High turnover in employees also has a direct impact on a company’s productivity. Aspects contributing to this include lost time in rehiring, interviewing and training, lost sales or a lost customer base. 

“The most important thing is to be able to demonstrate that you have grown over time and you can be truly productive in adding value to the company. Like all career decisions, the decision to change jobs before the two year mark needs to be considered carefully. My advice is, don’t leave until you’ve accomplished something,” concluded Ms. Chook.

A total of 1181 employers and 2642 employees, of which 61 percent are junior and senior executives, took part in the JobStreet.com survey in April 2013.

About JobStreet.com 
JobStreet.com (www.jobstreet.com) is a leading online recruitment company presently covering the employment markets in Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, Indonesia, India, Japan, Thailand and Vietnam. The Group currently services over 80,000 corporate customers and over 11 million jobseekers in its database. JobStreet.com is listed on the Main Board of Bursa Malaysia Securities (JOBST).

Disclaimer
This document is based on information obtained from our survey and we do not make any representation or warranty as to its accuracy, completeness or correctness. Opinions expressed are subject to change without notice. This document is prepared for general circulation and republication is allowed provided JobStreet.com is mentioned as the contributor. This document is not to be taken in substitution for the exercise of judgment by addressees. JobStreet.com accepts no liability whatsoever for any direct or consequential loss arising from any use of this document or further communication given in relation to this document.

Media Contacts:
Dominic Wong
Sr. Marketing Manager
JobStreet.com
Tel:03-21760482  Fax: 03-26987200
dominic@jobstreet.com

For more information about this news release, or to schedule an interview with JobStreet.com, please email Junie Lim at junie.lim@jobstreet.com