How to Recognize a Person Who Often Changes Jobs

To do so, you need to know the major types of “fliers”

Studying the candidate’s bio, we always pay attention to what made him or her leave the previous job and look for a new one. We won’t dwell on the external reasons for changing a job. We are interested in the internal reasons for they help to figure out the peculiarities of the person’s character and motivation.

It is a matter of career growth and unrealised ambitions. The employee starts to get tired of his or her usual daily duties in 3-4 years. And his or her every new job is going to higher and more responsible positions, to wider authority and larger projects. According to my observations, healthy ambitions are characteristic of managers who were brought up with such parental directions as: “You deserve the best”, “Move forward”, “Grow and develop”. Also, those who had a constant clear example of the career growth: their mothers or fathers were top-managers. I should note that people with an explicit motivation for power also strive for career advance - they are usually grown-up children of strict, severe, demanding parents.

Everyone has probably met such people - they know for a fact how this world must work, they are very straightforward and always stick to their principles. These are revolutioners. They make transformations that they consider necessary in every workplace. Being not flexible, they simply bulldoze forward, not considering other people’s wishes. And they fail most of the times. Offended and inimical, they leave the former employer, complaining of indolence, stagnation, pusillanimity, cowardice of the staff. At the same time, they praise their own will and decisiveness.

By the way, people who were allowed too much in their childhood usually become true “revolutionists”. But their parents, having not set the limits in time and having lost control over them, bring up a headstrong stubborn person. Possessing natural powerful charisma and leadership, such a person turns into an impetuous, uncontrollable revolutionist.

These employees bring around conflicts. Whatever staff they come to, conflicts and intrigues start to arise there soon. They quarrel with their colleagues, contradict with the management. Even the most democratic corporate cultures cannot stand their uncompromising tone, intended provocation or subtle manipulations. Such employees usually state “misunderstanding”, “unprofessionalism and foolishness” of the staff as the reason for their leave. Very often such brawlers haven’t gone through a proper teenage crisis when children quarrel with parents proving their right to freedom of decisions and actions. Teenagers recognize themselves in these quarrels, learn not only to stand their ground but also to obey. They develop their ability to solve difficult issues constructively. However, not all people go through these important stages - some of them learn far from their parents. Some are afraid and avoid talking to their fathers. Some don’t have a father at all. Failed contradictions accumulate and define the person’s character in future. To be exact, his or her negative traits: conflicts, quarrelsomeness, inability to find reasonable compromises.

There are employees who change their jobs after their manager. It is natural in the initial stages of work. However, it’s alarming when it becomes a tradition and a 40-year-old manager follows meekly his or her boss. These usually belong to the “forever son” or “forever student” type. They are distinguished by lack of independence and take the follower’s position. Even having achieved high posts they forever remain deputies and vice-presidents. Such employees were usually devoid of fatherly attention and care. Unfulfilled craving for fatherly care and love, search for a “wise father” chase them for the whole life.

There are people who change their job as soon as they understand that their research is over. They treat the business as science. They set problems, develop and prove hypotheses, do experiments. They don’t pursue money or posts. Their main motivation is cognitive interest in the work they are doing. They are individualists. They change their jobs, disregarding such “trifles” as the team spirit, policy, friendly relations. Having finished an interesting project, they don’t waste their time and look for another, a more complicated, more intellectual, more innovative one. The company doesn’t matter. Such an employee is a godsend for the employer. However, a temporary though a very valuable one. They are autonomous and unpretentious. Open and incorruptible. But as soon as they lose their interest, you cannot hold them with money, or praises, or posts.

Money is a respectable reason to change a job, especially if the salary in the new company is much higher. However, there are employees who change the company driven by the insatiable desire to get at least a little more money. Such a person is ready to give up established connections, ongoing work, well-structured work environment, well-known staff for a negligible difference in wages. An open motivation for money is usually characteristic of people coming from dysfunctional families, children deprived of attractive material opportunities and pleasures in comparison with others.

Attentive employers, having looked through a resume and had a small interview, can already say a lot about the candidate. Every action, every step and every decision is a link of the precious chain of our life, unique, complicated and exciting.