Career and Job Hopping - Professional and Personal Dilemma

um7y1h83ge06nx

Hi guys,

I've a bit of a scenario here and thought I would look for some advice.

I work in I.T. as a Software Engineer, currently in my second job since I graduated almost 7 years ago. The situation in my current company, company A is a little messy, things have stagnated, people are leaving, some even walking out after bust ups with management.

Another company, company B has offered me a position, which looks like it will be good for me from both a technical point of view and the opportunity to take on more team management and project management experience.

So far, so good, take the job offer with Company B.

Thing is my girlfriend of a year and a half is in a different location, Dublin. She works in a good and secure (permanent public sector) job in Dublin, but it would be a little more difficult for her to get the same experience outside of Dublin, even though her skills are in massive shortage in this country at the moment.

Therefore if we are to move on with our relationship in the medium term, it would probably necessitate me moving to Dublin where there would be good opportunities for me.

Ideally, I don't think we are in a position yet for me to make the big move to Dublin (I own a house here in Limerick where I live and rent out the spare rooms so I have to consider renting that fully out etc.).

The ideal scenario I think would be for me to take the job with Company B and then in about 1-2 years move to Dublin. The experience with Company B should help me get a senior role in Dublin.

Thing is, would an employer frown upon me ditching a company after a year? I guess I could cite that the main reason is personal, that I want to live with my partner and that would seem good justification I guess. Any thoughts or views about jumping to a different company after a year or so? Thanks.

srsly78

After a year no big deal. Having several 6 month jobs on cv can look bad tho.

When working in IT (and probably other sectors) the main way to increase your salary is to switch jobs. Having a healthy mercenary attitude is good, but should be tempered with some loyalty to employers that treat you well.

um7y1h83ge06nx

Thanks for that.

My first post college job was a grad position, did about 2 years and 3 months there. I'm approaching 4.5 years in the current one so I guess it does show loyalty.

From knowing people and googling the I.T. industry has a lot more movement than most industries so hopefully a minimum of a years stint in a company with a genuine good personal reason to make the move should be okay.

The good thing about this new place is that they have agreed to remote working before, an engineer that needed to move to Dublin was facilitated by being allowed to remotely work from Dublin. Now of course you would be working for country money living in Dublin but it could be an idea to stretch out my time there for another bit.

um7y1h83ge06nx

Anyone else have any opinions or advice?

jamfer

I don't think you could characterise the plan as "job hopping".

Who is to say how the role at Company B will play out.

You need to worry about you. If role in Company B means you get better experience, experience that you feel will enhance your worth in the market and allow you move to Dublin, well then that is something you need to do.

If Company A aren't offering any potential then why stick around.