Time frame for job hopping???

[Pooh Bear RN]

Sorry if this is a stupid question, but how long must you stay at a job until it is no longer considered job hopping? I have been nursing for just shy of a year and am currently on my second job as a RN. The first position I took straight out of school was in critical care, 12 hour nights 7 on, 7 off. My stress level was through the roof, not sleeping well, extreme fatigue and feeling way in over my head were some of the reasons I left after 4 months. The one plus to that job was the people that I worked with were awesome and very supportive. I have been at my current job for 5 months now working in a clinic. It is low stress, but not very challenging. I feel that I am losing what few skills that I did have with this job. When I took this position I saw it as temporary from the start. I was just needing something to help build my confidence as a RN and relieve some of my stress.

How long should I stay with this job so I don't come across to potiental employers as a "Job Hopper"? I'm just hoping to find a job that I don't dread going to on a daily basis. Thanks for any help.

[fiveofpeep]

I think it's expected for new grads to hop around for the first few years until they find the right fit.

[hiddencatRN, BSN, RN]

I would hold on to the clinic job for another year, and maybe try to find something per diem to do in addition in the meantime. My understanding of job hopping is that it's not the amount of time at one job but whether it appears to be a pattern or a one time thing. Bad fits happen, new grads don't always know what they want to do, but there's always the chance that an employer would see it not as a new grad trying to find out what works for them but a new grad not willing to work through the challenges that come with steady, long term employment. They might see you as someone who won't work long enough to make the investment in your orientation worth it.

Since your first job was ICU, I think it's reasonable to assume that you maybe bit off more than you can chew. If you leave the second job too soon though, you run the risk of it being seen as maybe not the wrong fit but something about your ability to commit. Adding a per diem job lets you build longevity at the second while using the skills you're worried about losing and gaining experience in another area AND you can network at the per diem job and possibly turn it in to your next FT job.

[Meliss214]

I too have quit 2 nursing jobs in my 1st year. Both places have a high turnover rate so I'm trying not to take the experiences too personally. Do I have to list both jobs on my resume?

[BlueDevil,DNP, DNP, RN]

Melissa, yes you do. They will turn up in a background check anyway and you will be caught in the lie of omission.

I'd say unless you have a really good reason for leaving, such as spouse's job transfer out of state, etc, leaving a job in less than 2 years doesn't look good, but can probably be explained as long as it doesn't happen repeatedly. A pattern of leaving jobs in a very short time (less than 2 years) is huge red flag and I wouldn't hire someone that had that kind of history.

It simply costs too much to recruit, interview, vet, hire and orient new people. If I am investing that much, I want some return on the investment, and I need to expect them to stay at least 2 years barring some unforeseen circumstance. When a work history suggests they may not give me that return, I won't take the chance on them no matter how much I might have liked them.

[MrChicagoRN, RN]

I would hold on to the clinic job for another year, and maybe try to find something per diem to do in addition in the meantime.

If you leave the second job too soon though, you run the risk of it being seen as maybe not the wrong fit but something about your ability to commit. Adding a per diem job lets you build longevity at the second while using the skills you're worried about losing and gaining experience in another area AND you can network at the per diem job and possibly turn it in to your next FT job.

I agree completely.

If you leave your 2nd job in less than a year, any prospective employer is going to think you'll do the same to them. Stick it out.

[hiddencatRN, BSN, RN]

A resume is a marketing document not a disclosure. You can include what you want on it to highlight your strengths. If you have to fill out a job history that's where you'd need to include a comprehensive list but a resume can be selective. It's accepted practice to tailor a resume to the position you apply for.