Success - A Hop, Jump, and Skip Away

Don't be a skipping stone!

“Job-hopper.”

It’s one of the few labels that makes most hiring managers flinch. The assumption is almost automatic: if someone can’t stay put, they’re unreliable. But the truth is, that mindset could be causing you to overlook some of the most driven, innovative people you could hire.

People change jobs for dozens of reasons that have nothing to do with flakiness (in fact, we've probably done it ourselves) pursuing learning, starting a business, relocating, leaving a dysfunctional company, or chasing opportunities their current employer couldn’t provide and that were needed. When you take the time to screen restless candidates properly and understand what drives them constructively, you often find they’re the ones who can ignite momentum, bring in fresh networks, and help you move projects forward at a pace that steady-but-stagnant hires rarely match. Stagnation vs Ignition (I know what I'd choose)!

This isn't a rule, but an art, so let's get into the details.

Restless hires are rarely drifting for the purpose of drifting. They’re often chasing growth and impact. Here’s what they bring when given the right runway:

• They have fast learning curves through experience of adapting to to different systems, teams, and industries. This makes agility a strength when it comes to learning methodologies and tools.

• They have large networks, because every stop they've made has led to connections. This could be with subcontractors, vendors, funders, partners, and insight that can be tapped into leverage.

• Drive means execution. Knowing how to covert energy into purpose, and foster support leads from potential to execution.

  
  

I'm NOT supporting hiring job hoppers on the spot, but I'm NOT suggesting in the least that they be avoided. The key is to screen and support them differently.

Hiring restless talent doesn’t translate to turnover in your organization. It does require sharper due diligence. So let's start with ground rules for this:

• It benefits more to ask about professional trajectory instead of tenure. If you notice on short roles, ask why a change was made. As importantly, ask about impacts they were able to make within a short timespan.

• Finding the focus of their professional outlook is also important. People are constantly. reinventing their interests, goals, wants, needs, etc. Do they have long term projects or sustained interests? Are they effective within a certain field? Look for the red flags, but also pay attention to the green flags.

• While a unique perspective, I've seen it help TREMENDOUSLY. Everyone needs to be onboarded. Job hoppers may need to be re-boarded. By that I mean, take the thorough interview and what you know about them and your organization's needs and provide a 90 day acceleration program. Set up a long term goal that is clearly communicated and lean into their strengths. The support, playing to their strengths while leveraging those for your team and business success, is a solid pairing.

• Compensate fairly. This is not a call to over-compensate, but you can't remain competitive while underpaying. If you want a successful team, you have to pay successful wages. The call back is that you require successful results. Have milestones in place to accomplish for your departments and teams and individuals. As importantly, compensate with impact and support. Those are true and overlooked incentives.

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Let's face it though! Some industries and fields are particularly primed for a restless workforce. I worked with many linemen, and they used to call the process "changing hats" (great phrase and illustration). You work with one company, project is completed, and you move on with the next company (thus, changing your company hat). These industries include construction, we're seeing a lot of this within the tech sector, and also in non-profits.

This isn’t for every organization . If you bring in restless talent and then handcuff them with micromanagement or busywork, they’ll be gone before their business cards hit the desk. If you give them meaningful work, clear expectations, and actual stakes, they don’t just stay, they accelerate your growth.

Want a screening checklist and 90-day project template for hiring restless talent?

We’ve built a customizable kit that helps you test one hire risk-light.