Recruiters, employers, indeed anyone of working age, has known for a long time that a ‘job for life’ is no longer a certainty, or even an expectation. Though some industries are experiencing skills gaps - which could be the place to find a fulfilling career with one single employer that desperately needs a certain skillset – studies show that the supply isn’t necessarily the problem. It could be demand.

According to new research, employees no longer aspire to progress their career with the same company.

Job hopping - once the practice of job-seekers desperate for an income but unable to find stability, or a trait of less-committed employees - appears to attract different connotations nowadays.

E-learning organisation Edology surveyed 1000 employers, and found that perception has indeed shifted. Rather than the process of jumping from job to job seen as a negative, more than half took it as a positive. The employers claimed it showed motivation, and evidence that candidates know what they want from their career, as well as each individual role they undertake.

Just under half (42%) of those surveyed even went as far as saying they would opt for a hopper over a stayer, when recruiting. And even if a candidate had ‘hopped’ within the last six months, a whopping 81% said that this wouldn’t put them off; they would still hire them. 63% of the employers confirmed that they saw job hopping as beneficial to a candidate’s career; 53% cited it as a definite plus to an employee’s personal development for recruitment web design.

So, do they not fear the person they employ will hop again, after they’ve invested time and money into their training? Or do they simply see the merit of someone knowing early on that something isn’t working out for them, then having the guts to up sticks again?

Daniel Rowles, founder and CEO of Target Internet, says, "The fresh perspective of someone from a totally different industry often ends up providing a greater benefit than the relevant skills of someone who's done the advertised role before. In this age of exponential change, every candidate will require ongoing training to stay up-to-speed. With careerists arguably losing their skills advantage, and job roles becoming more creative and strategic, career changers are starting to look like the smartest hires."

Fluid working and freelance roles have added to this shift in thinking. Employers are waking up to the fact that forward planning is difficult when it comes to the provision of skills – it’s hard enough dealing with the here and now. Project-working is becoming more popular as businesses react to changing markets, technologies and competition.

Recruiters could benefit from job hoppers, but not without putting in some hard work. Staying ahead of trends and developments in various sectors will help to find the hoppers, as will an understanding of the cultural fit needed for a role – to avoid the hopper you’re trying to hire hopping off again too quickly.

Employees can help themselves by being very clear about what they want, as well as being honest and open about why their previous job(s) didn’t pan out as they’d hoped. Knowing what they offer an employer is a definite plus, saving time all round.

We wrote a blog on the subject of job hopping in 2014, and research at that time showed that it was still seen as a flaky move. Fast forward three years and Edology’s study, at least, shows a complete turnaround in attitude.

2018 may see even more job hopping, as Brexit negotiations get underway and the cost of living continues to rise. This shift in perception, therefore, could not have come at a better time.