The Advantages of Job Hopping

job-hopping-main-s

Whenever we ask for career advice, someone (usually an older relative) will tell us not to job hop. The argument is as follows: job hopping shows a lack of loyalty and follow-through, and paints you as a fair-weather worker who goes where the pay is highest – and no one will want to hire such a person.

While that may have been true years ago, times and changing and with them, the nature of work itself. “Job value” is in higher demand than “job loyalty”, and many years doing the same thing can lead to stagnation, boredom and even fear of the unknown.

Sounds like you? Maybe it’s time to job hop to improve your career. Remember, don’t just job hop for the sake of it. Job hopping has several advantages, such as:

  1. It widens your perspective

Candidates with experience in many roles are more highly valued in the current working world, as they are able to undertake cross-team projects and apply their varied methodologies in new and innovative ways.

You will also benefit from working with different types of people, in different settings, which can help you to understand and appreciate alternative perspectives and ways of operating.

 

  1. It stops stagnation

Ever gotten to the point where your job has you doing the same things, day in and day out? Maybe it’s time to move on.

That said, boredom alone is not a good reason to leave your company. If you’re sending out applications, it should be because you’ve reached the glass ceiling of what you can achieve or you have done all you wanted in the industry, not because you don’t like photocopying.

 

  1. It fast tracks your career – and your pay

Switching roles is a great way to get a better position – and a better salary. Generally, if you’ve been working hard and achieving great results for more than two years, yet there’s no sign of career development, it’s time to look elsewhere.

Workers who stay for an extended period in one company tend to get small annual pay rises, at best. In contrast, the top 5% of performers can progress more rapidly with bigger salary gains,’ said careers coach Sam Waterfall of www.obviouscandidate.com and author of The Essential Guide To Interview Success.

 

  1. Experience is more valuable than loyalty in today’s world

“Your loyalty will be rewarded with a promotion,” are words from your father’s generation. Unless your loyalty included efficiency and productivity, don’t count it securing you any career progress in our new reality.

Businesses now look for performance and results over length of time. If you can offer great gains in the profit margins and new and improved processes, someone who has only time to offer will easily be bumped off the track.

 

As you can see, job hopping isn’t inherently bad or good. Like any decision, it must be made with purpose and drive – and can yield great gains if done right.

Education photo created by pch.vector – www.freepik.com