Author Topic: Leaving a job after only one year?  (Read 7306 times)

SheepDog

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Leaving a job after only one year?
« on: June 12, 2017, 05:19:42 AM »
Been at my current employer for exactly one year.  So far have taken 3 pay cuts, an insurance hike, and talk of layoffs is ever increasing among the troops, even up the chain of command.  Wife and I are trying to move to a nicer house and start a family but its hard without job security and not knowing how much more my pay cuts are going to be.  My employer was not at all transparent about their struggles when they were recruiting me and I admit I should have done my research better.

The job market is considerably strong in my area of the state, with several places hiring all at the same time at much higher pay to boot.  I also have four years related experience with another prior employer. 

Do you think I'm going to have problems with potential employers if I start applying now?  Or might they be more understanding given the above circumstances?  I don't want to get the "job hopper" or "money chaser" label because you can get blacklisted easily from many major employers in a hurry.

marty998

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Re: Leaving a job after only one year?
« Reply #1 on: June 12, 2017, 05:23:04 AM »
Won't be a problem at all. Honesty is the best policy.

lizzzi

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Re: Leaving a job after only one year?
« Reply #2 on: June 12, 2017, 05:25:27 AM »
I don't know what field you are in, but I remember when I was still in the workforce in healthcare,  some of the jobs could be hellacious for one reason or another. We used to say that you really should stay for one year, and then leave if necessary. One year seemed to mean that you had given it enough of a try. I think from what you are saying that you have perfectly legitimate reasons to leave, and any new employer would understand that.

TaraB

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Re: Leaving a job after only one year?
« Reply #3 on: June 12, 2017, 05:29:48 AM »
Sorry to hear your struggles! I agree with the above- one year means you gave it a good try. And yes as a hiring manager (ok as  person) I definitely want honesty!

And who knows- in the future you may get bonus points for voluntarily leaving before the organization completely implodes/goes bankrupt/etc.

(But- obvious advice here- don't burn bridges with your current colleagues- you may see them again in another organization!) Best of luck!

kayvent

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Re: Leaving a job after only one year?
« Reply #4 on: June 12, 2017, 05:42:55 AM »
In my field, some of the top companies have average (median) employee tenures of 9-15 months. The industry average is around three years. So when I hear you want to leave after a year, especially if you were a software developer like me, I would not even blink. If on the off chance an interviewer did bring this question out, any of the reasons you lost would more than dissuade them from worrying.

Mgmny

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Re: Leaving a job after only one year?
« Reply #5 on: June 12, 2017, 06:45:03 AM »
You've stayed in your job too long. Company loyalty is dead, and if you're on these forums, you want to FIRE anways, so there won't be a gold watch at the end of your 50 years of service (because you won't do 50 years anyways).

Quit early, and quit often.

Mr. Green

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Re: Leaving a job after only one year?
« Reply #6 on: June 12, 2017, 06:47:07 AM »
When I came out of school I had 4 different employers in 3 years (software developer). Just bad luck really. First company stopped focusing on that business unit so work dried up. Second job was a nightmare and I quit after 6 months. Third company was good, but after a year and a half the commute was just overwhelming. No one ever blinked at hiring me. I always told the truth about why so many hops, though I downplayed the crappy parts. The interviewers don't want to hear what sounds like complaining.

In retrospect, this was the best thing I could have done. My salary was just under 70k in the first job and my starting salary for company #4 was about 105k. There was a pay bump at each stop.
« Last Edit: June 12, 2017, 06:49:05 AM by Mr. Green »

SheepDog

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Re: Leaving a job after only one year?
« Reply #7 on: June 12, 2017, 07:34:05 AM »
Thanks for the replies.  Definitely makes me less anxious about applying now.  Plan on turning  in my resumes this week. And I absolutely agree with honesty being the best course of action. I just didn't want to make it seem like I was going into an interview to talk shit about my current employer ha.

BlueHouse

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Re: Leaving a job after only one year?
« Reply #8 on: June 12, 2017, 08:16:15 AM »
You've stayed in your job too long. Company loyalty is dead, and if you're on these forums, you want to FIRE anways, so there won't be a gold watch at the end of your 50 years of service (because you won't do 50 years anyways).

Quit early, and quit often.

+1.  A more common thought about employees who jump ship is that the first ones out are the best ones.  If you decide loyalty is the best course and you're one of the last ones out of a sinking ship, you're seen as a loser who couldn't get another job offer or as someone who couldn't see the writing on the wall. 

And I'll go a step further and say that if your company has had to reduce wages three times in a year, your ship is sinking and you need to jump ASAP

FIRE 20/20

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Re: Leaving a job after only one year?
« Reply #9 on: June 12, 2017, 08:39:33 AM »
Thanks for the replies.  Definitely makes me less anxious about applying now.  Plan on turning  in my resumes this week. And I absolutely agree with honesty being the best course of action. I just didn't want to make it seem like I was going into an interview to talk shit about my current employer ha.

I agree with everything that has been said, but I think your last phrase is important.  However this comes up - whether they ask why you're looking or you decide to be proactive and bring it up yourself - you do not want to badmouth your previous workplace.  You should feel comfortable bringing up facts like the pay cuts, but I wouldn't bring up the rumors about layoffs.  The bottom line is that the hiring managers you talk to want someone who will come in and do the job.  If you come across as someone who spends a lot of time gossiping or worrying about every rumor then are you the person they want to hire?  Also, explain why you're excited about the new opportunity.  I think the answer to the "why are you leaving after just one year?" question should be something like, "I enjoy the work that I do at <current> company, and have learned and developed my skills there.  However, some things have happened that made me concerned about the stability of the business.  The most concrete of these things has been 3 salary cuts during the 1 year I've been there.  Because I saw evidence that things are not stable, I started looking around and I found your job req.  This looks like a great job/company because of...."  In addition, if it's late enough in the interview that you've heard something that makes you excited about the new job, say, "and when you described the (cool thing) it makes me even more excited about this opportunity."

Everyone will understand concerns about stability, and everyone will understand that you don't want to stay somewhere where you had your pay cut.  I would mention that and then drop it immediately to focus on the positive.  Don't emphasize gossip or rumors, don't dwell on the old company, just give them enough so they can come to the conclusion that you're not a flight risk for them too and then move on to why you're excited about their job.

Financial Ascensionist

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Re: Leaving a job after only one year?
« Reply #10 on: June 12, 2017, 08:40:47 AM »
Former manager here, in many cases, we saw someone who is chasing bigger challenges and therefore bigger a pay as ambitious, which is a obviously a very positive trait.  In order to reduce bias, I rarely gave a second look at someone's resume before interviewing them.  During the interview, as long as you have a good story on why you moved from one place to the other, I probably would not have a much of a second thought about your path and I would focus a whole lot more on your skills (both technical and personal) and on what drives you.

I recommend you start looking, your current job does not seem to match your goals at all.

Syonyk

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Re: Leaving a job after only one year?
« Reply #11 on: June 12, 2017, 09:56:40 AM »
Do you think I'm going to have problems with potential employers if I start applying now?  Or might they be more understanding given the above circumstances?  I don't want to get the "job hopper" or "money chaser" label because you can get blacklisted easily from many major employers in a hurry.

"Job hopper" might be a concern if you did 1 year jobs a lot, but as long as there's a good reason for it (and "three pay cuts in the first year" is absolutely an excellent reason to move on), it's not a problem if it's one company, once.

There's really nothing wrong with being a "money chaser" either.  "Wow, I could totally be paid more for my skills but I don't want to!" isn't doing you or anyone else any favors.

If you get asked about it, multiple pay cuts in a year is absolutely a valid reason to continue looking around, and if you're in the same field, other people in the area probably know that your company is tanking anyway.  That kind of thing gets around.

Rubic

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Re: Leaving a job after only one year?
« Reply #12 on: June 12, 2017, 09:59:14 AM »
Employer here.  Unless there were other negatives, I wouldn't see any problem
with you leaving your current company after one year.

If the subject comes up, you can mention (delicately) that your current/former
company is/was struggling financially.

Acastus

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Re: Leaving a job after only one year?
« Reply #13 on: June 12, 2017, 12:34:50 PM »
Job hopping, especially early in your career, is considered normal these days. It is OK to try out different jobs and companies until you find your niche. It also can help increase your pay. It is a lot easier to get a 10% bump in a job hop than at a given company. It depends a little bit on your profession. Sales position mover more frequently. Technical positions move a lot less. Try to have 5 years at a single company some time in your first decade of work.

nobody123

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Re: Leaving a job after only one year?
« Reply #14 on: June 12, 2017, 01:41:07 PM »
Frankly I would have left after they asked me to take a pay cut.  You showed with your 4 year stint at a prior employer that you'll stay where you're valued and can make an impact.
 If it's in the same industry, they likely know that your company is having money troubles, and won't even bother asking about why you want to leave.

apricity22

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Re: Leaving a job after only one year?
« Reply #15 on: June 12, 2017, 07:28:40 PM »
I agree with everybody else. There may be red flags if you have had five jobs in five years but if you took a job and it wasn't what you were led to believe or the situation changed a lot (such as three pay cuts in a year!) I don't think any prospective employer would hold that against you.