Latest / Job Hopping with Fexingo: Tenure, Loyalty, and the Modern Career Resume / How Job Hopping Builds a Broader Network Than Tenure
Transcript
- Lucas: So we have talked a lot about how job hoppers can frame their tenure, negotiate salaries, and build a narrative. But there is one asset that hopping actually amplifies, and we have not given it a full episode yet: your network. Luna: Interesting. Because the usual assumption is that staying longer builds deeper relationships, and hopping leaves you with shallow contacts. Lucas: Right, but that is only half the story. Think about it from a structural perspective. If you stay at one company for ten years, you know a lot of people, but they are mostly in one organisation, often in one industry. If you move every two or three years across three or four companies, you accumulate a much broader map of contacts across different teams, different industries, even different geographies. Luna: And that breadth can be more valuable than depth, especially when you are job hunting, because opportunities often come from weak ties, the people you know casually, not your close friends. Lucas: Exactly. There is that classic research by Mark Granovetter from the seventies that found most people land jobs through weak ties, not strong ones. And the logic still holds. Strong ties, your close friends and colleagues, tend to know the same people you do. Weak ties, the former coworker you only worked with for nine months, or the vendor you met once at a conference, they connect you to a different world. Luna: So every time you hop, you are essentially adding a new cluster of weak ties to your network. And that could be a huge advantage. Lucas: Exactly. And it is not just about finding jobs. It is about information flow. Hopping exposes you to different ways of doing things, different tech stacks, different management styles. Your network becomes a kind of living benchmark. You can call a former teammate at company B and ask, 'How are you handling this exact problem?' That is something a ten-year veteran at a single company simply cannot do. Luna: I have a friend who is a product manager, and she has worked at three companies in the last eight years. She told me that when she was interviewing for a senior role, she reached out to former colleagues at each of those companies to get the inside scoop on the hiring manager, the team dynamics, even the salary range. She said it felt like she was going in with a cheat sheet. Lucas: That is a perfect example. And it is not just about getting intel. It is about the alumni effect. Companies like Google, Microsoft, Amazon, they have massive alumni networks, and being part of that network, even for a short stint, gives you a passport into a community that can open doors for years. Luna: So how do you actually build and maintain those networks when you are only at a company for two years? It is not like you have time to go to every happy hour. Lucas: You have to be intentional. When you join, identify the people you will want to stay in touch with, regardless of where you end up. That could be a mentor, a sharp engineer, a supportive peer. Make a point to build a genuine relationship, not just transactional. And when you leave, do not just say 'bye' and never talk again. Send a personal note to the twenty or thirty people who matter, not a mass email. And then, here is the key, actually keep in touch. Luna: But keeping in touch is hard. I know I am guilty of letting those connections lapse. Lucas: It is, but it is also a discipline. Set a reminder every quarter to reach out to your top ten contacts from each past company. Share an article they would like, or ask how their project is going. It does not have to be a big ask. The goal is to stay on their radar. Luna: I think the key is to give before you ask. If you are always reaching out only when you need something, people will notice. But if you are genuinely interested in their career, they are more likely to help you when you do need it. Lucas: Exactly. And that brings me to another point: hopping gives you more chances to build these relationships, because you meet more people. But it also means you have to be more systematic about it. A ten-year veteran can rely on proximity to stay connected. A job hopper cannot. Luna: So what about the people who say, 'I hate networking'? Is there any way to make it less painful? Lucas: Sure. Think of it as building relationships, not networking. It is not about collecting business cards or LinkedIn connections. It is about genuinely connecting with people you like and respect. When you are working on a project, make an effort to collaborate, to help, to ask for feedback. Those interactions are natural, and they are what build the foundation. Luna: And when you leave a job, you can still nurture those relationships. It is not like you are cutting ties forever. Actually, I have heard that staying in touch with former colleagues can be even more valuable because they are now outside your immediate sphere, so they can tell you about opportunities you would never hear about otherwise. Lucas: That is exactly right. And there is a real economic angle to this too. Your network is a form of social capital, and like financial capital, it compounds. Every time you hop, you are adding a new asset. And if you manage it well, it can pay dividends for your entire career. Luna: Quick honest thing, and maybe this is a good moment to mention it. We keep making these episodes because a handful of listeners chip in monthly through buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. That is literally what funds making this many of these. So if you have gotten value from the show, that is one way to keep it going. Lucas: Yeah, and we do not have ads, so it is entirely listener supported. We appreciate every single person who does that, it lets us spend the time on research and scripting. Luna: And it is not a big thing, just a coffee a month, or whatever works. Okay, back to networks. Lucas: So, let's talk about the flip side. There is a risk that if you hop too often, you burn bridges. And that can hurt your network. Luna: How do you avoid that? Lucas: The way you leave matters. Give proper notice, document your work, help with the transition, and do not badmouth anyone on your way out. That is the minimum. But also, try to leave on a positive note. Have an honest conversation with your manager about why you are leaving, and express gratitude for the opportunity. You never know when you will cross paths again. Luna: And sometimes, leaving can actually strengthen a relationship. I have seen cases where a manager becomes a mentor after you leave, because now there is no power dynamic. And they can be a great reference. Lucas: Absolutely. Former bosses are often the best references, and they can be even more willing to help once you are no longer on their team. So do not neglect those relationships. Luna: So, to sum up, job hopping can actually give you a broader, more valuable network, if you are intentional about it. And that is a compelling argument to put on your resume, or at least in your interviews. Lucas: Right. And I think it is a point that is often overlooked. When you are asked in an interview, 'Why have you changed jobs so often?' you can say, 'I have deliberately sought out diverse experiences to build a broad perspective and a strong network across the industry.' That is a positive spin, but it is also true. Luna: And it is not just about the number of contacts, but the diversity. Think about it: a network with ten people from one company is less useful than a network with thirty people spread across five companies, because the latter gives you access to different information and opportunities. Lucas: Exactly. And there is a great example from the tech world. Many startup founders and investors credit their success to the networks they built by moving between companies early in their careers. They took a lot of flak for 'job hopping,' but those moves gave them the connections they needed to raise capital, find co-founders, and hire talent. Luna: So, what advice would you give to someone who is about to start a new job, specifically to build their network from day one? Lucas: First, do not just focus on your immediate team. Make an effort to meet people in other departments, other functions. That is where the diverse perspectives come from. Second, find a mentor, or even two, as soon as you can. Third, be proactive in offering help. When you are new, you have the advantage of a fresh perspective, and people appreciate it when you share observations without being asked. Luna: And what about when you leave? What is the best way to say goodbye? Lucas: A personal note, as I said, and then actually follow up in a few months. Do not just say, 'I will keep in touch' and then disappear. Set a reminder to send a message to your top ten contacts three months after you leave. Ask them how things are going, share a relevant article, or just say you were thinking of them. That small effort can keep the relationship alive. Luna: And in the long run, that network becomes your own personal board of advisors. You can reach out to different people for different questions: career advice, industry trends, even personal support. Lucas: That is a great way to frame it. And it is a career asset that does not show up on a resume, but it is just as valuable as any skill you put there. So, if you are a job hopper, do not see your history as a liability. See it as a network-building strategy. Luna: And if you are a recruiter listening, maybe you should pay attention to a candidate's network breadth as a signal of their adaptability and resourcefulness. Lucas: That is a good point. Some recruiters are starting to look at LinkedIn connections as a proxy, but that is not the same as a well-maintained, active network. It is about quality and engagement, not just numbers. Luna: So, what is the takeaway for our listeners? If you are considering a job change, do not worry so much about the tenure on your resume. Focus on building meaningful connections wherever you go, and your career will benefit in ways that go beyond any single job title. Lucas: And if you are already a job hopper, it is not too late to start building. Reach out to a few former colleagues this week. You might be surprised at how receptive they are. And that could be the start of your next big opportunity.