Job Description Insists Applicants Don't Have 'More Than 3 Jobs In The Past 10 Years' But Wants 6+ Years Of Diverse Experience
In the age of job hopping, it's rare and often not in your best interests to stay in a job for long. But one employer begs to differ.
TikTok & Mizuno K / Pexels To anyone looking for a job right now: good luck, and watch out.
Recently, a growing trend has emerged in job postings, where hiring managers have begun requiring more and more specific qualifications from applicants and these qualifications often exist in opposition to real-life work trends.
In fact, one job description ridiculously required applicants to have 'no more than 3 jobs in the past 10 years.'
The job requirement was discussed in a TikTok by career strategist Tessa White and is being widely debated in the comments with people asking what does a requirement like that accomplish for a company? How does it help screen for qualified candidates?
The description listed several bullet points asking for years of experience in specific fields, and then finished off with an interesting requirement: “no more than 3 jobs in the past 10 years.” White commented that she hopes this requirement is not part of a wider trend.
A Gallup poll found that 60% of millennial respondents say they are open to a different job opportunity which is 15 percentage points higher than the percentage of non-millennial workers who want new jobs. 36% of millennials report that they will look for a job with a different organization in the next 12 months if the job market improves, compared with 21% of non-millennials who say the same.
So, this particular requirement likely won't appeal to a generation who are no longer sticking it out in unsatisfactory jobs.
As some users in the comments pointed out, the requirement is meant to see if applicants are likely to “job hop,” meaning, jump from job to job quickly without dedicating time and commitment to any one company. Job hopping is generally frowned upon, as most companies look to hire candidates who will stay with them for a long time, and won’t immediately leave the second they get bored.
However, the numbers themselves don’t always tell a full story of why people change jobs — toxic work environments, lay-offs, or desire to advance a career are just some of many reasonable explanations for someone's job-hopping.
TikTok users in the comments of Tessa’s video also point out that during the height of COVID-19, many employees were laid off from their jobs, and other workers sometimes needed to maintain two or more jobs at the same time to pay bills.
Other circumstances such as family emergencies, changes in lifestyle or ability, large moves, or even something smaller scale, such as rent going up, can cause people to seek different job opportunities.
These life changes don’t always reflect poorly on a person’s commitment to their job, just the cards they have in life.
Besides, a limit of three jobs in the past ten years is pretty extreme, especially when considering how many of these companies want diverse experience in specific fields. The job referenced in the TikTok required six years of experience in production application, and another four in conducting analysis.
If an employee wanted more experience in one of those relevant fields but was unable to find the opportunity at one company, they might have to find another job.
Today, many job hunters have expressed frustration with the job descriptions and requirements posted by hiring managers and companies. Because many hiring managers rely on technology to automatically screen applicants, the strict requirements can automatically disqualify some resumes before a person ever gets the chance to see them.
This and other trends such as low pay, inconsistent hours, and high requirements of experience on low-level jobs have led to the issue of job seekers struggling to find positions, as well as companies struggling to find those who want to fill them.
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It can be a frustrating clash of needs. If companies want new workers so much, why not lower their requirements?
Unfortunately, it isn’t always so simple, but there are ways to work around it. The Muse gave advice to those frustrated with entry-level jobs requiring years of experience and suggested that applicants apply for anything they meet 80% of the qualifications for.
They also advise: “If you’re able to convey your knowledge in a way that makes it easy for a prospective employer to see how your unique abilities would complement their needs, you stand a decent chance.”
Job hunting can be an exhausting and seemingly endless process, especially when company requirements seem so high, but at the end of the day, knowledge and skill will make a candidate a better option than simply checking off a box.
Hawthorn Martin is a news and entertainment writer living in Texas. They focus on social justice, pop culture, and human interest stories.