"Look at some of the uber-successful icons of Silicon Valley / Technology: Larry Ellison, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Larry/Sergey, Eric Schmidt, Andy Groves, John Doerr. Not job hoppers."
That's because they're founders and CEO's. If you're hiring me, by definition I'm not the founder (but if I have lots of equity and am treated as an equal partner maybe we'll split the difference on that one). Are you hiring me to be CEO, then? If not, find a better example to compare me against.
Actually, Eric Schmidt has had quite a few roles over the years. Hardly a "job hopper", but it's not like he founded one of the majors and stayed there forever (like Gates, Ellison etc.).
Job hopping for a founder or CEO would be an entirely different thing. If you take someone's money, you take on responsibility to them. If you personally hire people into a position that won't exist if you abdicate, the same is true. If you hit a patch of shitty or painful work for a few months, you stick through it because other people are depending on you.
Someone who tries a corporate job for four months, realizes that he isn't getting good projects, and leaves, is (a) doing what he should do, since he's undervalued in his current role, and (b) not really hurting anyone.
That's because they're founders and CEO's. If you're hiring me, by definition I'm not the founder (but if I have lots of equity and am treated as an equal partner maybe we'll split the difference on that one). Are you hiring me to be CEO, then? If not, find a better example to compare me against.