Hop, skip, fall?
The
pros and cons of job hopping
Today’s young generation of dynamic, qualified, and
success-hungry corporate executives is driven by change. Gone are the days
when employees considered it a moment of pride to have served in their
organisation for over a decade. These days, a single work experience on the
resume is sometimes considered an indication of professional stagnancy. The
trend among young professionals nowadays is to stick to an organisation for
a maximum period of a year or two (sometimes as less as six months!) and
then switch to another company.
The new generation of millennials is prone to
faster workplace saturation.
Gen Z is so obsessed with finding the ‘dream job’
that they don’t mind extending the timeframe for getting a job to long
after their graduation in order to get into an organisation of their choice
for a role of their liking. However, the nuances of the job come to the
fore only after actually entering the workplace and not by merely reading
the job description.
Also, it is not just the monetary compensation that
acts as a motivator for employees to stick to one job for a considerable
amount of time. As clichéd as it may sound, job satisfaction is still the
primary driver to continued employment for any individual with clearly
defined career goals and aspirations.
IS JOB HOPPING GOOD FOR YOUR CAREER?
While a series of short stints on a resume might give recruiters the
wrong impression about the integrity of the jobseeker, changing jobs
frequently can actually prove to be advantageous in more ways than one.
Good salary hikes: This is perhaps the main
reason why people try to switch jobs frequently. Young executives desire
frequent jumps in their paychecks and this is possible only by moving on to
organisations that offer a higher compensation package and an enhanced
role.
Diversified work experience: Professionals
who change jobs often experience a diverse range of technical and business
environments with access to advanced tools and technologies and new
processes. They not only hone their individual skills, but also understand
and get a feel for different business cultures, corporate processes and
other softer aspects of the workplace. All of this helps enhance their
skills and makes them more seasoned professionals;
More challenges:
Employees who switch jobs are challenged to live up to the expectations
of the new role. This sets into motion a motivational trigger forcing the
professional to think outside of their comfort zone and move to higher
levels of performance. A resume highlighting frequent job changes to higher
hierarchical levels serves as a testimonial to a prospective employer.
ARGUMENTS AGAINST JOB HOPPING
A majority of experienced executives will vote in favour of sticking to
one job for a considerable period of time. Rightly so, since the adverse
effects of job hopping can be quite disastrous.
Questionable loyalty:
A frequent job hopper raises doubts in the minds of future employers
w.r.t loyalty and dedication towards the company. Unless the shift is
purely due to reasons for career advancement, a candidate who has changed
jobs within a short span of time is often considered high-risk. Employers
are hesitant about hiring candidates where they cannot justify the costs of
training and development, as they are not sure of the staying capacity of
the new hire.
Unclear career ambitions: Constantly moving
between jobs shows a lack of commitment towards a particular career path.
Employers look for talent that can help them work towards a common
organisational objective. In the eyes of the prospective employer, constant
job jumps project a negative image of the employee as one of distrust and
indecisiveness. What is important to consider is if the jump justifies the
rationale behind it. Whether for monetary reasons or work satisfaction,
professionals need to determine what they want from their jobs and act
accordingly.
- Narayan
Thammaiah : The author is VP, people
practice, Capillary Technologies
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