For billionaire CEO Todd Graves, co-founder of Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers, one trend stands out on resumes: the prevalence of job-hopping—and it is the CEO’s number one red flag.
Today’s private sector is no stranger to the frequent occurrence of people changing their companies. This phenomenon, often referred to as “job-hopping,” may be a strategic tactic for career growth that can accelerate skill acquisition, expand professional networks, and increase earning potential, but it may also turn into a habit that leaves a bad impression on future employers.
The 52-year-old CEO of Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers, a restaurant chain with more than 800 locations across the U.S. and its territories, as well as the Middle East, shared that evident job-hopping on resumes is his number one red flag when hiring new corporate employees, as a work history that shows frequent job changes every two to three years raises concerns for Graves.
“I question that, because it’s like, ‘Are you in it just for you?’” Graves tells CNBC Make It.
The Impression Job-Hopping Can Leave
For Graves, job-hopping can leave an impression that applicants are individuals motivated for individualistic reasons and are on a “quest for titles.” The Raising Cane’s CEO pointed out that these individuals tend to use language during their interviews that reflects what they think the hiring managers want to hear, rather than giving honest and authentic answers. Graves noted that you can often catch instances of inauthenticity by looking for inconsistencies in applicants’ responses across multiple interviews.
“When they’re more into title and control versus teamwork, it’s a huge red flag for me,” says Graves.
A part of Graves’ interviewing process when meeting potential employees is gauging each applicant’s level of passion for the brand, a key characteristic that can distinguish one applicant from all others in the pool. Graves hires individuals who he believes will be “intrinsically motivated” to work at Raising Cane’s.
Graves stated that he noticed a “huge correlation to success” for employees when they are passionate about what happens to their colleagues, team, and organization as a whole, as opposed to individuals who focus solely on their own career trajectory.
“That goes down to our cashiers and fry cooks in our restaurants,” says Graves.
How to Explain Your Job-Hopping History
Recent years have seen a tight labor market, which has contributed to a more prevalent trend of job-hopping among employees. Career experts argue that the corporate stigma against this relatively common trend is outdated, especially if your resume doesn’t show an excessive track record of bouncing around from company to company.
Yet, Graves is not alone in sharing his concerns regarding applicants who frequently change jobs.
In a survey by LinkedIn over the summer, over a third of hiring managers expressed their hesitancy to pursue a candidate with a pattern of short time periods in different jobs.
LinkedIn career expert Drew McCaskill told CNBC Make It this past August that hiring managers might be thinking, “If you were only there for nine months, maybe you’ll only be here for nine months.”
Career experts recommend that job-hopping applicants avoid bringing up previous roles unless directly asked by the interviewer. However, if the hiring manager does inquire about your career path, be prepared with a concise response that highlights your growth and future goals. Focus on what you gained and learned from each experience and how these insights make you an ideal fit for the role you’re pursuing, advises McCaskill. This approach demonstrates the value you bring to the company, emphasizing a forward-looking perspective.
Don’t give hiring managers a reason to think you’ve done anything wrong, McCaskill said. “Don’t make apologies for it.”
Committed to Success
Raising Cane’s CEO keeps an eye on individuals who are driven to contribute to the company rather than solely pursue opportunities for their own career advancement.
Employee loyalty and teamwork are important to Graves, noticing that a loyal and empathetic teamwork attitude highly correlates with success. Graves shared that, when individuals are dedicated to the overall success of the company, it fosters a significant positive impact.
