Overcoming Job Hopping Perception
Hi all,
I recently got laid off and I'm looking to go to a long only asset manager (fixed income). However, I've been told by some hiring managers that my job history looks job hoppy, which no one has ever pointed out till now. I'm assuming part of this is mainly due to it being an employer's market now and part of it is due to my most recently laid off job amongst other things. Does anybody have any advice on how I can overcome this perception or what I can do in my current unemployed situation? My goal for my next role is to settle down and be there for at least 5 years. For context I have ~7 years of work experience:
- First role: 2-3 yrs ratings agency
- Second role: 2 yrs long only asset manager
- Third role: 1.5-2 yrs long only asset manager (lateraled then promoted here if that counts for anything)
- Fourth role: < 1yr corporate finance at tech company (pivot from rest of career, but laid off and realized that I want to be in fixed income for long run)
Appreciate any advice!
From a hiring manager's perspective, the most important thing is helping me understand your career to date - you have relevant experience up until the pivot, explaining that and putting into context is the most important part. It's a yellow flag that can go either way depending on how you answer it.
As an example, if the answer is something like "My goal is to work in LO AM and fixed income research, I started my career in a ratings agency which built my XYZ experience giving me the opportunity for an LO AM role, I then switched firms after two years as an opportunity for advancement (and more experience, exposure, whatever). Then an opportunity came up with this firm that was really interesting, and something I felt I couldn't pass up career wise - that didn't pan out, laid off, and helped me realize that I'm interested in LO AM - here's my experience, here's what I've been doing to keep current, blah blah blah"
Again - it's a spin, but you've hopped around a bit. Own it and help me understand the experience you bring to the role, why you are excited for your next opportunity, and help me buy into you as a candidate.
Hey Addinator, thank you so, so much for that perspective and advice! That's kind of what I've been saying in interviews now but slightly tweaked. Hopefully folks will understand and take a chance on me again.
For what it's worth I don't see a problem with this story. 7 years of work experience, you're probably not even 30. You have experience at 4 difference shops doing different things. The way you spin it is that's a huge benefit. You bring 4 different perspectives to the table. You wanted to learn and take on more responsibility. But now you understand the industry, and your own strengths, and you're ready for a longer term gig. If I were hiring, would absolutely to talk to someone this, it sounds a lot more interesting than the usual 2 years at bank, followed by an MBA, and then 5 more years at a big shop. So many people in this business are so specialized they don't even know what the people they do business with are doing. I can't tell you how many times I've spoken to the sell side, and they don't have a clue what I'm trying to do. And I've worked on the sell side, so I know when they're full of it.
There's nothing wrong with what you did, and you shouldn't even think twice about that. Just tell your story, and if it's good, they'll buy it.
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