Yes, You Should Job-Hop!

Quick – what do you think is the reason why most people job-hop? If you say to increase one’s salary, you’re right on the mark. After all, what better way to earn a 30% increase on your salary each time you change jobs?

But there’s a downfall to it though – job hopping, which means you stay at a job for approximately one to two years, could have these potential drawbacks:

• You have to start over. You could lose out on whatever significant efforts you’ve built at your previous company, having to start over to earn trust and respect not only with your teammates but also your managers.
• There’s a stigma. Frequent job hopping is a red flag as employers may question your loyalty and if you only stick around until you get bored. In this case, you end up being a liability for the company.
• You have inconsistent experience. Your work history looks inconsistent if you hold several job titles in a short time. This isn’t desired by some employers and for you, it could mean that you aren’t building up enough solid knowledge and experience to help you move to the next level.
• You end up causing a lot of stress for yourself. Imagine not knowing what the next job will entail. Imagine having to meet new people, adjust to a new schedule, learn a whole new work commute, network with different clients. Or maybe even relocating! Starting over in a new environment can be stressful, and if you do it several times in a short time, it is not only tiring but can be stressful as well.

However, with the right approach, job hopping can help you maximise your professional growth. The good news is that in recent years, because job hopping has become more common as competitive candidates are sought after, it is not often viewed as being noncommittal but more as being in demand.

So what’s the right way to job-hop? For starters, don’t just think of the increased in salary (newsflash: Sometimes there isn’t even an increase in salary but more of an opportunity!) but think more of how the new job can help supplement what you already know from your previous job to make you more qualified, more skilled, more knowledgeable, and ultimately more in demand.

Here's how you should job-hop the right way:

#1 Make sure the new role is substantially different from your old role
No point moving jobs just to be doing the same thing! You want to be able to gain more experience from job hopping and not be stuck in a rut like you were before. So job-hop with purpose – and that purpose should be to better yourself as a talent.

#2 Evaluate if the new role will give you new skills or benefits
You want to move on to greater things, and a new role should give you exactly that. You need to identify the new skills you will gain from your new job and how it can help you progress in your career.

#3 Is it a step up?
Would you rather job-hop (A) to do the same time… or (B) because of the opportunity for career advancement. We all know the answer is B! Your new job should expand your responsibilities, allowing you to advance your career more quickly especially if there is limited potential for growth in your current role.

#4 Will it make work more enjoyable?
Sometimes, it’s not about the opportunities or salary increase. Sometimes, it’s a personal matter – like a new job giving you more flexi time to spend with family or being a lot closer to home. Your current role might not be able to offer all of these to you which is why you should seek for another that will give you these things if it makes working life more meaningful and fulfilling.

#5 Make sure it offers you transferable skills
With each new role, focus on developing skills like problem-solving, communication, leadership – as these will always be valued whether it is your first or fifth job. Job hopping may give you this opportunity to experience versatility that will make you an attractive candidate despite your job-hopping history.

Ultimately, the key to effective job hopping is to make you more in demand, regardless of how many roles you’ve held. Therefore, it should always be an upgrade to what you already can do, and it should allow you to build better relationships and networks so you can enhance your potential in the industry. The key is continuous learning, which will reassure future employers that your job hopping isn’t a sign of disloyalty or being bored quickly but more a pursuit of growth and knowledge.

Let us know how your job hopping has benefitted you @Graduan!

Photo by Ben White on Unsplash.