As companies start hiring again, people who stayed put during the slow economy may be ready to move again.

But how is job-hopping currently perceived by employers?

During the dot-com era, it was normal and more acceptable for people to go from one job to the next for what looked like better opportunities. But these days, although employers expect to see some transitions after several years of downsizing and restructuring, they'd prefer a little more stability.

This is especially true for those who have been in the work force for awhile.

"In today's world, people are more lenient for the first two or three jobs," says Dianne Durkin, president of Loyalty Factor, a Portsmouth, N.H., consulting firm. "After that, they want to see some stability and they want to see some progression."

Indeed, for people at manager levels, it usually takes at least two years to get some results or make an impact in a job, says Heather Corcoran, a Palo Alto, Calif., career coach. For more senior-level executives, it is often more of a two-to-four year commitment. "It can just take that long to initiate and execute new strategies or programs," she adds.

Of course, job hopping is more acceptable in some industries than in others. Technology companies may be more willing to hire a job hopper than, for example, service-sector areas such as law or accounting, where employees build relationships over time and require lots of practical experience.

Many employers say it really comes down to each individual's experience. "If I see someone who has been at a company for 10 years but hasn't done anything related to our specialties, they can't help me," says Todd Noah, a principal at R.K. Executive Search LLC, an affiliate of Rothstein Kass & Co., an accounting firm in Roseland, N.J. "But if that person had held three jobs in a short amount of time and gained relevant experience, I'd hire them."

Others say it's not the actual job-hopping that makes them nervous, but the possible behavior it can indicate.

Wendy Alfus-Rothman, president of the Wenroth Group, a consortium of business psychologists in New York, says when she sees job-hopping on a résumé, she questions if that person has the ability to build and sustain relationships. She also explores if the person blames others for their short-term jobs or has a positive attitude despite the changes.

Depending on how the candidate responds to the questions about his or her job-hopping, Ms. Alfus-Rothman says that she can figure out the person's level of accountability, self-awareness and resilience. "No one wants a person without these qualities, whether they have worked for one company all their lives or changed position every six months to a year," she adds.

So job-hoppers should be prepared to thoroughly explain their various positions. There are several ways to help minimize the employer's focus on the number of jobs and more on the quality of the candidate.

The candidates can stress that their experiences have prepared them for different situations, departments and projects. They can also add that the variety of experiences proves that they can handle different situations simultaneously.

In addition, work seekers could incorporate a reference from one or more of their former employers during the job-hopping period. "This will help point out the fact that you are a valued employee and demonstrate that your loyalty and work ethic are central characteristics and are valued by your former employers even after leaving," adds Beth Doling, a marketing coordinator at LucasGroup, an Atlanta search firm.

But despite best efforts to explain the moves, "not everyone is going to be receptive to a person who has moved around a lot," says Roy Cohen, a New York career counselor.

Just be prepared: "You can't take that personally."