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I've had two back-to-back, one-year stints at different companies. I'm considering returning to the company I left one year ago, bringing my total to three jobs in three years.

Each change was initiated by particular circumstances that I can justify. I never left for a performance reason, and I'm relatively confident I could obtain a good reference from my former employers if it matters.

I've been talking to one of my former bosses and she seems receptive to bringing me back, likely with a promotion from my old role. I'm cautious though since I'm running the risk of being branded a job hopper in the long run.

If I take this job at my old company, is there some way to address this on my Resume/CV that will help avoid giving the appearance that I am a job hopper?

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    It's hard for us to judge if it'll be seen as job hopping; that's ultimately a value judgement by the people reading your CV.
    – Erik
    Commented Oct 4, 2017 at 19:01
  • Seen as job hopping according to whom? Your former employer? This seems to be quite opinion based to be objectively answerable. IMO, staying a year in a job and then changing is not job hopping (unless you do it frequently), maybe if you were there for less than 6 months then some people could consider it job hopping
    – DarkCygnus ♦
    Commented Oct 4, 2017 at 19:01
  • @JoeStrazzere yeah basically my job there changed under my feet. My boss (the one who's rehiring me) moved to a different department then I got moved to a role much different than what I was originally hired for and my new boss was not willing to support an internal transfer. If I was rehired I would like to stay there for at least 4-5 years.
    – mercurial
    Commented Oct 4, 2017 at 19:17
  • Should I take a job or not is off topic. However we may be able to help you address the issue on your resume to reduce the chances of it being perceived that way. I have edited your question to reflect that. Hope this helps.
    – IDrinkandIKnowThings
    Commented Oct 4, 2017 at 19:33
  • @IDrinkandIKnowThings Thanks! yeah I would hope people on the internet don't know enough about me to judge if I should take it or not. My question was aimed at understanding the ramifications if I were to take. I think the edit makes sense.
    – mercurial
    Commented Oct 4, 2017 at 19:51

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I'm cautious though since I'm running the risk of being branded a job hopper in the long run.

Is it seen as job hopping if I return to a former employer ?

As a hiring manager, I would consider 3 jobs in 3 years as job-hopping. It wouldn't matter if two of those hops were to the same company or not. But it might depend on what kind of job history you held before those 3 hops.

You get to decide how much you care. And of course if you do go back but then stay for 10 years or so, the earlier hopping won't matter as much.

If I take this job at my old company, is there some way to address this on my Resume/CV that will help avoid giving the appearance that I am a job hopper?

Probably not.

Your resume/CV should just lay out the data and dates of your jobs. Explaining away the potential negatives is a job for your cover letter, or for you during interviews.

The concern from some hiring managers will be that since you left several jobs after a short stint, that you might do the same to them. You might want to find ways to quell those fears in your cover letter and interviews.

And as I indicated, being able to say "Well, I have been at my current company for 5 years" is a powerful argument why you no longer make a habit of job hopping.

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  • The question has been edited, and I think your experience could add so great value to the new version. Would you consider editing to address the new version.
    – IDrinkandIKnowThings
    Commented Oct 4, 2017 at 20:00

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