Job hopping

Think before you leap

As with all things in life, there are no black and white answers to the question 'Is changing jobs a faster way to progress?' Career dynamics have shifted dramatically over the years. Gone are the days where you joined a company and stayed for life, rising through the ranks to win that ultimate workplace trophy.

Today, a majority of employees feel less inclined to stay in one place. Pensions, in the traditional sense, are virtually obsolete. What's important in a job is two-pronged stability; employer stability and job stability with good future prospects engrained in the organisation's culture that promotes performance with guaranteed rewards.

Two sides of the issue

As you progress in your career it will become increasingly difficult to find an employer who is willing to invest in you, train you, and have you join their team if they know you will leave as soon as something better comes along. Stability shows perseverance, determination, loyalty, team work, and can often represent a passion for what you do and not just how much it pays.

But employers' popular complaint is that it's hard to find such employees now. It's true that most of us come to the conclusion that our current job or career isn't meeting our expectations and that changing jobs would be a good idea.

Of course it might be that you simply have no choice.

Maybe your current role is going to be reduntant due to downsizing. But, if you do have the luxury of having time or a choice to make the decision, then do it wisely, otherwise you may end up making a decision you may bitterly regret. Changing jobs is one of the most stressful things you are ever likely to do. You should rush into it. However, many just do that and end up worse off than before.

Advantages of sticking to one place

Usually, staying at one place for a longer period offers many advantages. Time to learn specifics and proving yourself over a spaced out period, building on industry expertise and experience, being on top of the mind of leaders are all critical drivers to rise through the ranks.

If you are not happy with your current job, rather than moving to a new organisation outright, consider whether it is possible to make a lateral move to another position with your current employer. You might have a good reputation where you are currently and it is something that takes a long time to acquire.

May be your boss could loan you to a different department for six months or so, so that you can get a feel for another position before fully committing yourself. Too many jobs in a short period of time makes you a flake. Instead of job offers, you will get advice on how to mask all that job-hopping on your resume.

Finally it's what's right for you

Whether the change is good or bad depends on the viewpoint of the person who sees the change. Two persons can see the same change, but one will call it good and the other will call it bad. An optimist will naturally see the change as something to learn and grow from, and an opportunity to make things better.

A pessimist will see the change as a problem, something that is causing him or her problems and think that it is something that makes everything in life worse.

Indeed it is not question for an 'yes' or 'no' answer. I feel that stability often becomes stagnation with nothing more than a false belief that nothing may change and things will always be fine. And then, after a few years, suddenly people are fired and have to face the sad fact that their experience is not 10 years but just one year replayed over and again during those 10 years.