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How do you call people who change jobs frequently but in a good way?

For example: Mary is a ______ who has acquired a wide range of skills from short stints of employment.

LLM
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  • There is no such word really. But the most positive reason for frequent job changes is a mobile role; like oil prospecting or sports event management. – Bookeater Apr 09 '17 at 15:46
  • "dynamic worker" could get some of the flavor accross – Tom22 Apr 09 '17 at 18:14
  • @Tom22 "Dynamic worker" would be a great obscuring euphemism, but it's always going to be understood as a hard worker not as an easy quitter. – lly Apr 09 '17 at 18:22
  • @Tom22 thank you for the suggestion, but I'm looking for something that can hint at the short employment histories – LLM Apr 10 '17 at 06:52
  • Can you say something about the reason for the hopping? Perhaps you could give us more of the true context, so we can help you put a positive spin on it. // I'm thinking about flexible. – aparente001 Apr 10 '17 at 23:23
  • @aparente001 I don't have a specific reason in mind, it may be due to change of career direction, company downsizing etc. I'm looking for the word because I want to shed the stigma associated with job hoppers. When people come across a busy resume they would think "a job-hopper!" and the worker would be automatically portrayed as a toxic employee. I want to get rid of this framing effect by popularizing a positive name for job changers. thank you! – LLM Apr 11 '17 at 05:08
  • Thanks for the explanation. Looks like it's up to you to coin a new phrase. I still like versatile. Other words that might help are flexible and dynamic. The person adjusts quickly to new working environments. Agile is a popular buzz word in certain working environments. You could appropriate it with the right context. – aparente001 Apr 12 '17 at 04:18
  • In English, we normally ask: What do you call...? Please edit your post, and spread the word :) – Mari-Lou A Aug 01 '17 at 07:06
  • Diverse experience in varied environments. – Xanne Sep 07 '21 at 20:57
  • Short-term jobs are gigs. “Task-oriented” is a term that may be used for someone who takes a job, gets it done, and moves on. – Xanne Sep 07 '21 at 20:59

7 Answers7

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The positive words are for people who intend to help many companies as part of their customary job. They're called freelancers and consultants.

There is no positive word for someone who hops from employer to employer, each hiring her for a steady job and each losing her quickly. Employers hate those people, and the culture doesn't appreciate dilettantes or [goof]-offs either.

The few who would describe them positively (i.e., such people themselves) wouldn't define themselves in terms of their jobs. They'd go with free spirits, &c.

lly
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  • thank you lly, but I'm looking for a word that also applies to involuntary job-hoppers. – LLM Apr 10 '17 at 06:54
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Mary is a career butterfly who has acquired a wide range of experience from short stints of employment

might work.

Butterflies are well-liked creatures, unlike most insects, because of their beauty. They invoke pleasant memories of summer afternoons watching them flit from flower to flower. They cross-pollinate by taking pollen from one to another. This is analogous to the way in which an employee such as Mary can pick up ideas, skills and best practices from a wide range of organisations, or fields of work, and apply them to others.

On the down side a social butterfly is someone who may be seen as somewhat fickle, but there is no getting away from the fact that some people will regard job hopping negatively, whatever term is used. Butterflies are generally positive.

Here are two examples of career butterfly:

http://www.scotsman.com/news/flitting-from-job-to-job-can-give-wings-to-your-career-1-733482

http://moneyning.com/career/benefits-to-being-a-career-butterfly/

davidlol
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  • +1 It's really twee and likely to annoy people, but you found some cites for it and it absolutely meets OP's criteria. – lly Apr 10 '17 at 14:52
  • thanks a lot davidlol! I'm a bit hesitant on the term "butterfly" as it usually refers to someone not serious about a relationship. A career changer can be very serious about each job on his/her CV. A bee would be more appropriate, but google search yields no desired result... – LLM Apr 10 '17 at 16:02
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See if floater suits your needs,defined by Merriam Webster as

a worker who moves from job to job.

vickyace
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    My own associations with the term floater wouldn't make it positive, but maybe @LLM's audience is less potty-minded. – lly Apr 09 '17 at 14:49
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    floater sounds negative to me too, thank you for the suggestion though vickyace – LLM Apr 10 '17 at 06:54
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Mary is a versatile employee who has acquired a wide range of skills from short stints of employment.

You can also say that she made a lot of lateral moves as opportunities presented themselves.

versatile: 1. Capable of doing many things competently. (American Heritage)

aparente001
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  • thank you aparente001, a "versatile worker" doesn't necessarily have short stints in multiple companies though. – LLM Apr 10 '17 at 06:56
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Transient or journeyman, but depends on situation whether that is positive.

David Calvert
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    You should include a dictionary definition for each word so that we know what definition you're applying in each case. – KillingTime Apr 15 '21 at 14:07
  • Welcome! Please consider improving your answer by defining and explaining those terms. – Davo Apr 16 '21 at 14:24
  • "Transient" has negative connotations, certainly in other contexts; it can refer to a vagrant/hobo. Journeyman according to Lexico means a worker who is "reliable but not outstanding" with no mention of job-hopping. So neither of these fit. – Stuart F Sep 08 '21 at 09:08
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Go-getter

Someone who is out to improve themselves.

'a person who works very hard and very much wants to succeed'

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/go-getter

Jelila
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An Independent contractor provides goods or services to another entity under terms specified in a contract or within a verbal agreement. Unlike an employee, an independent contractor does not work regularly for an employer but works as and when required.

Source: Wikipedia

SurpriseDog
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