The Myth of the "Job Hopper": How Debbie Rewrote Her Career Story
When Debbie and I first spoke, she said something that stuck with me: "I hope you can wave a magic wand."
Debbie wanted more from her career. But she also carried a heavy belief: That she was a "job hopper" - someone who couldn’t hold anything down for more than a couple of years.
She felt guilty. Ashamed, even.
But when we stepped back and looked at her story objectively, something very different emerged.
Where Do Our Career Stories Come From?
The stories we tell ourselves about our careers aren’t created in a vacuum. They’re shaped by the people around us, often without us even realising it.
In Debbie’s case, everyone she was surrounded by had taken a very different path:
Her parents had stayed in the same careers their entire lives (a teacher and an accountant).
Her husband had been in the oil industry for decades.
Her closest friends were all on clear, linear career tracks, sticking with one profession from the beginning.
In that environment, changing jobs every few years looked wrong. It felt wrong.
So even though Debbie was actually thriving, adapting, learning, tuning into what energised her - she had internalised the belief that she was somehow "failing" because she wasn’t staying on a linear path.
As Debbie told me her story, I simply reflected it back to her.
And what I saw wasn’t someone who couldn't commit. It was someone who was paying attention.
At every career move, Debbie had:
Identified what she loved and wanted more of
Pivoted towards her strengths and passions
Built a wealth of transferable skills and experiences
Created real, tangible success stories in every role she took
Pivoted to more meaningful work for her and that supported her as a mother of two
Far from being flaky or unfocused, Debbie was evolving, refining her career to better fit who she was becoming.
That’s not job hopping. That’s career ownership.
Is It OK to Change Jobs Every Few Years? Absolutely.
The idea that changing jobs every few years is a bad thing is outdated. The world of work has changed, and so have we.
In fact:
Career pivots often mean greater adaptability, a highly valued skill today.
Job changes can lead to faster skill development, wider networks, and more diverse experiences.
Recognising when a role or culture no longer fits is a sign of self-awareness and bravery, not failure.
What matters isn’t how long you stay. It’s why you make a move and how you grow from it.
The Real Work: Questioning the Stories We’ve Inherited
When Debbie said she wanted a career she could stay in for 5–10 years, we had to ask: Is that truly what you want? Or is that what you think you should want because of the people around you?
Through coaching using the Discovery Program (part of The Career Remote), we gently peeled back the layers. We probed, explored, and challenged old assumptions.
What surfaced was powerful:
What Debbie really wanted wasn’t just a "long" job, it was a meaningful one.
She wanted work that aligned with her empathetic nature, where she felt valued, energised, and respected.
She wanted to work in an environment that celebrated growth, not just loyalty.
The length of time became less important than the quality of the experience.
We rewired her narrative to open space for a new belief: It’s OK to pivot. It’s OK to change. It’s OK to grow.
The Takeaway:
Before you label yourself as a "job hopper" or tell yourself you’re doing it wrong, ask:
Whose story am I living by?
Who taught me what a "good" career looks like?
What if my way is just as valid ,or even better - for the person I am now?
Your career path doesn’t need to look like anyone else’s. It just needs to feel right for you.
Sometimes, changing direction is the most powerful move you can make.