Job Hopping Trends 2023-2025: Resume Now Report Reveals Industries With the Highest and Lowest Turnover

A new report from Resume Now uncovers major job-hopping trends across industries, showing where workers are more likely to stick around — and where turnover is highest. Resume Now analyzed over 200,000 resumes from January 2023 to February 2025 to identify which industries offer long-term stability and which face frequent employee exits.

While some industries — like food service and sales — are seeing rapid turnover, others — like legal and skilled trades — provide workers with greater job security and longer tenures. For employees seeking stability, knowing which fields have lower turnover rates could be a key factor in choosing a long-term career path.

Key Findings

Industries With the Highest Job Hopping Rates:

High turnover rates often signal job insecurity, low pay, and stressful working conditions. The following industries have the shortest average tenures, suggesting that employees face challenges that push them toward frequent job changes:

1. Food Preparation and Serving – (23 months average tenure)
2. Personal Care and Service – (29 months)
3. Sales – (29 months)
4. Farming, Fishing, and Forestry – (30 months)
5. Management – (30 months)

What This Means:
If you're working in one of these high-turnover industries, it may be worth exploring whether the pay and work-life balance make the frequent job changes worthwhile. Lower wages, limited benefits, and job stress often lead to burnout and early exits — factors to consider when planning your career path.

Industries With the Lowest Job Hopping Rates:

On the other hand, some industries offer long-term career stability and structured growth opportunities. The following fields have the longest average tenures, reflecting greater job security and career satisfaction:

1. Installation, Maintenance, and Repair – (45 months average tenure)
2. Military – (44 months)
3. Legal – (43 months)
4. Healthcare Practitioners and Technical – (43 months)
5. Protective Service – (42 months)

What This Means:

If you're looking for long-term career security, fields like skilled trades, healthcare, and legal services offer greater stability and predictable career progression. Union protections, pensions, and benefits in these industries contribute to longer tenures and higher job satisfaction.

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High-Turnover Industries Reflect Job Insecurity and Burnout

Short job tenures in some industries aren't surprising — but the numbers highlight how challenging these fields can be for employees.

• Food Preparation & Serving (23 months) has the shortest average tenure, reinforcing the industry's reputation for high turnover due to seasonal work, lower wages, and demanding conditions.
• Sales (29 months) follows closely, likely due to commission-based earnings, lack of job security, and burnout from high-pressure environments.
• Personal Care & Service (29 months) may also see high movement due to low wages and limited career advancement.

What This Means:

High-turnover industries can provide short-term experience but often lack long-term career paths. If you're in one of these fields, consider building transferable skills and exploring industries with more predictable career growth.

Creative & Social Impact Fields Experience More Movement

• Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media (32 months) ranks lower than expected, potentially due to gig work, project-based employment, and the competitive nature of these industries.
• Community & Social Service (32 months) likely reflect stress and burnout from these demanding jobs, as well as funding-dependent employment in nonprofits and government roles.

What This Means:

If you're working in creative or social service fields, securing stable contracts and building a strong professional network can help reduce career uncertainty.

STEM & Office Jobs Show Moderate Stability

Office and STEM-related roles tend to offer moderate tenure rates — but rapid industry changes can still cause uncertainty.

• Business & Financial Operations (34 months) and Computer & Mathematical (34 months) roles show mid-range tenures, likely due to skill specialization and career advancement opportunities.
• However, rapid industry changes and layoffs in tech may shorten tenure in certain sectors.

What This Means:

STEM and business roles offer room for growth but require workers to stay current with industry trends and skills. Employees can boost job security by investing in continuous learning and professional development.

Healthcare & Education Offer Stability, But Challenges Remain 

Healthcare and education jobs provide relatively long tenure, but both fields face significant pressures.

• Healthcare Practitioners & Technical (43 months) enjoy longer tenures compared to Healthcare Support (35 months), likely due to differences in education requirements and job security.
• Educational Instruction & Library (37 months) suggests moderate job stability, though some attrition may be tied to policy changes and workplace stress.

What This Means:

Healthcare and education provide stable career paths, but employees should focus on work-life balance and professional support to avoid burnout.

Blue-Collar & Trade Jobs Show Unexpected Longevity 

Skilled trades and blue-collar jobs rank among the most stable fields, with longer tenures driven by strong demand and union protections.

• Construction & Extraction (41 months), Production (41 months), and Installation, Maintenance & Repair (45 months) all rank among the longest tenures. Skilled trade workers benefit from union protections, strong demand, and career security.
• Protective Services (42 months) and Military-Specific (44 months) reflect structured career progression, pensions, and long-term stability.

What This Means:

Trade and blue-collar jobs can provide long-term job security and consistent income. Investing in trade certifications or apprenticeships can lead to reliable career opportunities.

What This Means for Job Seekers 

If you're navigating the job market, understanding industry stability can help you make better career decisions:

• Prioritize job security – Skilled trades, healthcare, and legal fields tend to offer longer tenures and more structured career progression.
• Build transferable skills – If you work in a high-turnover industry like food service or sales, developing transferable skills can help you transition to more stable fields.
• Explore trade certifications – Many blue-collar and skilled trade roles offer long-term security without the need for advanced degrees.
• Consider creative problem-solving – For creative and social impact fields, securing stable contracts and networking can help reduce career uncertainty.

Methodology

This analysis is based on over 200,000 resumes built in the Resume Now database between January 2023 and February 2025. Data scientists examined the most recent job history and tenure of individuals across multiple industries to determine average tenure lengths and job-hopping trends.

For press inquiries, contact Joseph Santaella at joseph.santaella@bold.com.

Keith Spencer, CPRW

Career Expert

Keith is a Career Expert and content contributor for Resume Now. He is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) with over a decade of experience in the career development field. Keith also holds a Master's of Education from Cabrini University.

Read more articles by Keith Spencer, CPRW