Recruiters are reassessing how they read CVs, and some career moves and choices that once implied drive are now being taken as warning signs.
Christopher Harris, a business expert at Calculating.com, says hiring teams are paying more attention to patterns, not just titles or speed of movement.
In the recent dynamic labour market, he says, certain career choices now point to fear rather than direction.
Speaking with recruiters while reviewing Harris’ comments, the perspectives aligned. Just movement can’t impress them anymore. What is important is whether a person appears settled, clear, and deliberate.
Below are six career moves Harris says now raise doubts instead of confidence. The reality is already seen in hiring sessions.
Six career moves recruiters now question
- Changing jobs every few months
Short stints used to pass as ambition. Now they usually trigger concerns about what will happen if they take you in. Recruiters want evidence of follow-through, not constant exits.
Harris says, “When I see someone with four jobs in two years, I don’t think ‘ambitious’, I think ‘what’s going wrong?’”
- Jumping across unrelated roles without explanation
Switching careers is not the issue. Silence is. When a CV jumps from one field to another with no clear link, recruiters assume guesswork, not planning.
“Career pivots work when you can articulate the thread that connects them,” Harris explained.
- Stacking certificates with no proof of use
Courses and credentials are still important, but only when applied. Multiple certifications earned in quick succession, with no real-world use, now suggest insecurity.
“That comes across as someone trying to make themselves feel more secure by ticking boxes.”
- Chasing titles instead of responsibility
A bigger title without broader work no longer grabs attention. Recruiters look at scope, not labels. Repeated senior titles with shrinking duties raise doubts.
In Harris’s words: “If you’ve been a ‘Senior Manager’ at three different companies in 18 months but the scope kept shrinking, that’s ego management, not progression.”
- Always signalling availability
Being permanently “open to work” can work against candidates. Recruiters read it as a lack of focus or selectivity.
Harris says that constant availability can actually work against you.
- Leaving roles badly and making it public
Public criticism of former employers or dramatic exits is now seen as poor judgment. Recruiters assume the behaviour will repeat.
“All it really shows is poor emotional regulation and an inability to navigate difficult situations professionally.”
What recruiters are actually looking for
Harris says the key test is coherence. Can a candidate explain their choices without sounding defensive or rushed?
He adds: “What recruiters and hiring managers are looking for in 2026 isn’t constant motion. It’s coherence.”
The advice is to slow down, make fewer moves, and be clear about why you made them.
“Movement without direction just looks like panic.”
