How to Explain Frequent Job Changes Like a Pro

Red Flag or Rising Star? How to Spin Frequent Job Switches in an Interview

#087

Hello friends 👋🏼

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Background

Before you get into this week’s topic, here’s my career journey in summary:

• First 12 Years:

  I spent the first 12 years working for a commercial bank in Nigeria. During that time, I worked as a customer care officer, loan analyst and collector, loan product manager, pioneer product owner on the bank’s digital bank project.

  After the digital bank launched (to some respectable success), many of us on the project started getting poached by competitors. I stayed back and eventually left after becoming Head of Product.

  The first 12 years were spent learning, and growing some tap roots in the professional world.

• Next 4 Years:

  For the next 4 years (2025 included), I worked for 4 companies.

  I’m 2 years on my current role, but on average, I have done 1 company per year for the past 4 years- 1 commercial bank, 2 fintechs, and now a global payment company.

  Is this a good or bad thing?

Photo by Nik on Unsplash

My Interview Experiences

After 12 years with my first employer, I felt it was time to make a change. So, I started interviewing with potential employers.

For my 12 years of loyal service to one employer, I got questions like:

“If you were that good, why haven’t you moved to a bigger, better-paying and more prestigious employer”?

“12 years? Is it loyalty or lack of options”?

“12 years with one employer for a young man like you? Is that loyalty or lack of ambition”?

Similarly, when I moved more frequently, I got questions like:

“How am I sure you’d stay with us if I hired you”?

“You’ve only been at your current employment for just 1 year, why do you want to move”?

Moral of the story? Hiring managers and recruiters will always have questions about your career choices. So, do what is right for you.

How To Respond…

To the question of spending 12 years with one employer, I tell the story of how I have had different roles during those years and quantified the impacts I’ve had/having.

“I totally understand your question. I also know that if I moved more frequently, I’d earn more money but at this stage of my career, I’m focusing more on learning and growing deep roots first. Though I have spent all my working years, so far, with the same employer, I have changed my roles. This helped keep my learning curve steep without necessarily changing my employer. In the 4 years I spent as loan product manager, I have grown the portfolio from X amount to Y amount while keeping non-performing loan under X% through a combination of…”

Something along those lines…

If you have had the same role in all the years you’ve been with your current employer, focus on driving home the impact you’ve had on the job.

For the question of moving frequently, here are 2 options for how to respond.

Interviewer: Just 16 months with your current employer, why are you looking to move?

Option 1: I understand your concern. But first, I focus more on impact than on length of stay. In the past 16 months, I have delivered XYZ, which is X% year-on-year growth, the highest in the last 3 years of the company. During the same time, my team and I also launched XYZ which was given the Global CEO Award for Innovation. We also…

Impact > > > Length of Stay

Option 2: Like I mentioned in my intro, I’m looking for a role that aligns more closely with ____ (more or less leadership responsibilities, more or less sales focused, etc.)

[Note: Whatever you say here must not be a requirement for the job you’re seeking]

It’s been an amazing 16 months with my current employer, but my career goals are more aligned with a role that affords me ___, ___, and ___ hence I’m seeking this role.

If you found this helpful, let me know by restacking, commenting, or liking.

Final Words…

There are 2 rules for answering any questions relating to your current or past employer.

Rule 1: Never speak ill of your employer

Rule 2: Remember Rule 1

See you next Tuesday.

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— ❤️ Azodo.