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Job-Hopping: Career Killer or Savior?
Tania Khadder | AllHealthcare
Hop Carefully, Hop Well
Most experts, even those who support job-hopping, make the same point – don’t leave until you’ve accomplished something.
“Your resume needs to show the story of a person who contributes in large ways wherever you go,” Trunk says on her blog.
It’s one thing if you’re moving on because you have completed a project, and brought significant value to the company along the way.
It’s something else entirely if you leave one job after another, for reasons that are not going to seem valid to your next potential employer.
Reasons like…
• Your job is too hard. Being averse to any real challenge is not a quality many employers will respect or admire. If you’re job is too hard, do what you need to do to get up to speed. Ask for more training or take a class to brush up on your skills. Don’t demote yourself, or bow out.
• You’re bored. While boredom (and lack of a challenge) can be absolutely toxic to your professional development, it is not an excuse to move on. At least not until you’ve explored other options within your company. There’s probably a lot more you could be doing if you just asked.
• You just can’t get along with people. It’s one thing if the corporate culture just isn’t the right fit, but if you’re moving from job to job, each time because you’ve fallen out with your co-workers or your boss, it might be time to do some soul searching. Think about it: the only common denominator in the equation is you. So instead of moving on every time you have a tiff, think about what you might have done to cause it.
• Money alone. Moving to a new job is the fastest way to get a pay rise, sure. But jumping from job to job for the sole purpose of monetary gain is a big mistake. If increasing your salary is your only incentive for job-hopping, you’ll end up unsatisfied in the long term.
• You’re bored. While boredom (and lack of a challenge) can be absolutely toxic to your professional development, it is not an excuse to move on. At least not until you’ve explored other options within your company. There’s probably a lot more you could be doing if you just asked.
• You just can’t get along with people. It’s one thing if the corporate culture just isn’t the right fit, but if you’re moving from job to job, each time because you’ve fallen out with your co-workers or your boss, it might be time to do some soul searching. Think about it: the only common denominator in the equation is you. So instead of moving on every time you have a tiff, think about what you might have done to cause it.
• Money alone. Moving to a new job is the fastest way to get a pay rise, sure. But jumping from job to job for the sole purpose of monetary gain is a big mistake. If increasing your salary is your only incentive for job-hopping, you’ll end up unsatisfied in the long term.
