Tenure in past jobs important factor in hiring decisions

Sure, your co-workers can be annoying and you may not care for the boss. But before you bail out of the company, think about it.

Chronic job hoppers may bounce themselves out of consideration for future opportunities, according to a new survey of chief financial advisers.

Of the CFOs polled, 87 percent said length of time a job candidate has spent with previous employers is an essential factor when evaluating that person for a position within their company’s ranks.

Robert Half Finance & Accounting, a specialized financial recruitment service, developed the survey.

An independent research firm contacted more than 1,400 CFOs from a stratified random sample of U.S. companies with 20 or more employees. Their responses were used in the survey.

CFOs were asked, “How important a factor is the length of time a job candidate has spent with previous employers when evaluating the applicant for a position with your company?”

Their responses:

Very important – 42 percent

Somewhat important – 45 percent

Not important – 10 percent

Don’t know/no answer – 3 percent

“It’s not unusual for someone to change jobs or careers multiple times during his or her lifetime, but holding too many positions in rapid succession and without signs of professional advancement can be a red flag for employers,” said Max Messmer, chairman and CEO of Robert Half International and author of “Managing Your Career for Dummies.” “Hiring manager place a high value of employee loyalty, in part because it is so difficult to replace top performers.”

According to Messmer, many job changes stem from a desire for greater challenge, which doesn’t always require changing employers. Professionals who find themselves in this situation would do well to look for opportunities from within the company first, he said.

“Supervisors are typically receptive to matching valued staff members with assignments that allow them to expand their skills and grow,” Messmer said.