People change jobs for many reasons, from leaving a toxic workplace culture and salary raise to hunting for a more intriguing and challenging job.
However, you must understand every aspect of job hopping before going for this option. Job hopping is a double-edged sword as it can positively and negatively affect your career.
Some companies are comfortable hiring people who have jumped frequently from job to job as it gets them diverse experiences and skills. Other times, some companies are unwilling to accept this behavior and will reject your resume immediately.
Hence, you should understand the demands of your industry and the companies to which you want to apply. Let’s walk through both the prospects of job hopping so you can weigh the pros and cons and choose your career options wisely.
Pros of Job Hopping
It is unwise to stay at a job that no longer offers financial and professional growth. If your current job doesn’t make you feel intrigued and challenged, or you do not notice a bit of advancement in your career, you can find a new job, as job hopping has many benefits.
Great Compensation
When you leave a company and get hired by another, you often see an upswing in your paycheck. People who stay in a job for too long receive less pay increase rate than those who shift their job quite often. According to research, employees who are stuck in a single job for too long (more than two years) get 50% less salary than their job-hopper counterparts. That being said, salary should not be the only determinant of your job shift; you should also ensure the place you will offer your career growth. Hence, it is crucial to establish a job hunting strategy that achieves your career goals on the longer terms.
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Communication and Adaptability
Soft skills such as networking, communication, and relationship management with colleagues are highly appreciated by companies. Every time you change jobs, you come across different people, face a new environment, and cater to different challenges. This gives you significant adaptability to changing environments and the capability to build new relationships easily. If you are a job hopper, these are the most certain skills in your personality. The trick is highlighting these skills and explaining how a company might benefit from these valuable experiences.
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Career Advancement
Besides offering financial growth, job hopping is a prompt way to climb the corporate ladder. Instead of sticking in a job and waiting for elusive promotion, you can consider going for a job that offers higher-value roles. When you job-hop, you learn diverse skills fundamental to career development. Companies these days are looking for “full stack employees” who can handle the workplace burden in many ways. In a nutshell, job hopping benefits both employer and employee and adapts to the changing employment trends.
Cons of Job-hopping
Despite having a huge potential for career progression, job hopping still holds a negative connotation for some hiring managers. So do remember these things that you may lose if you are a job-hopper;
Fringe Benefits
A job hopper has to start over multiple times, meaning it will take longer to enjoy the benefits an employee is entitled to, such as vacation time. Moreover, you will likely lose your retirement savings. Even if you have a 401k account or any other saving option, you are not staying longer in a company, so employer contributions won’t be added to your account.
Difficulty in Getting Job
Human resource executives suggest that frequent changes in employment reflect an element of instability and immaturity. If you cannot justify your job hop, it may be viewed as you find it difficult to adapt to a challenging environment.
Some hiring authorities might also consider your job hopping as a way to cover up your impulsive occupational decisions that lead to short-term employment. Hiring managers are reluctant to utilize their resources in training a candidate having a track record of uncertainty.
Job Hop the Right Way
Frequent job hopping holds mixed views; for some employers, it is a red flag for your career, while others understand that change is central to career growth. Recent reports show that many headhunted professionals encourage switching jobs to explore new options.
For instance, a report reveals that millennials are switching jobs twice as much as their older counterparts. 75% of employees aged between 18 and 34 consider job hopping the best way to proceed in their careers.
However, this is a make-or-break point in your career. So be vigilant in making your career decisions. The best way to move forward in your career is to weigh both the pros and cons of job hopping.
If you think your current job is no longer contributing to your career regime, it is a good option to grasp the emerging opportunities. If you opt for job hopping the right way, you will promptly climb the career ladder.
First, ensure the new job will help you develop skills that will go a long way in your career progression. The new job should not be a fancy move with just a new title, it must be a productive step in expanding your career expertise.
Second, don’t move too fast, as leaving a job in a few months might not be logical. Employers look forward to candidates who have spent at least a year and so in their past jobs.
Contract-based and temporary work might give you an edge here as you do not have to make an effort to explain your job hop. Last, do not burn all the bridges when you decide to switch jobs. Provide your employer with prior notice so they can arrange a replacement.
If possible, offer a training assistant to your replacement. Moreover, ask for a recommendation letter, as it will be a plus point for your next job.
Final Words
Perceptions are changing; people prefer switching jobs instead of sticking to a place with no professional or financial advancement. Job hopping might be a good option to proceed in your career, but one should know the right time and reason for job hopping to get the most out of it.
