advantages and disadvantages of job hopping

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF JOB HOPPING Gone are the days when people used to be devoted to a job and enjoyed working at the same place lifelong In the current work scenario, job hopping has become very common But what has led to this tendency of frequent change in jobs among the employees? Well, in most of the cases, it is boredom that evokes from the routine job and lack of job satisfaction that makes people change jobs Search for better work opportunities is also one of the reasons for frequent change in jobs But, is it safe for employees to change jobs too frequently? Does it hampers or boosts the career of the person who changes jobs frequently? These questions need to be addressed The aim of this article is to make you aware of the long term advantages and disadvantages of job hopping Especially the disadvantages, because frequently changing the jobs can either make or break the career of the person Yes, job hopping indeed has advantages, but the disadvantages shadow out the advantages We have covered both the negatives and positives of job hopping In this article we have covered both these aspects in detail • WHAT IS JOB HOPPING? It is a term coined to describe someone who changes jobs every one to two years (or even more often) Typically, employers seeking committed, loyal candidates have been deterred by ‘job-hoppers’ on the basis that past performance predicts future behavior, but attitudes are changing Today’s workforce is more self-centered than in previous generations when thirty years at one company was often the norm Today’s career isn’t linear; often, workers will change their jobs up to half a dozen times before the age of 30 While job hopping is still regarded in a dubious light by many employers, used as part of your overall career strategy you can turn your job hopping history to your advantage • THE CAUSES OF JOB HOPPING The company is on track to “slide” Discontent about wage issues Boss enrolled in the “black book” Can not sociable with colleagues Different viewpoints Pressure job too big Did not find joy in work Not competitive job • ADVANTAGES OF JOB HOPPING Broadens your skills base Whether it is changing job in the same domain of work or hopping to a completely different domain, it will surely help you learn new work skills You may have come across many people who have the experience of working in many different work areas Like they have degree in particular field, but have worked in multitudes of career like writing, software development, or even sports This is an advantage of job hopping as it widens your skill set and adds to your knowledge of various fields You learn many skills such as communication skills, presentation skills, information processing skills, teamwork skills, management skills, etc Through working in various jobs a person will definitely know something of many things Allows you to explore your strengths Unless you’re one of the fortunate few, it’s unlikely you’ll fall into your dream job at the beginning of your career By changing jobs frequently early on, you’ll discover not only where your strengths lie but what you actually enjoy doing It makes much more sense than staying in the same unfulfilling job for years Improves your salary Employers might use a whole range of excuses as to why this year’s pay rise is negligible Changing jobs frequently generally results in a notable salary increase each time – often up to 20% or more – significantly higher than the to 4% that many industry sectors are seeing High performers in particular may find job hopping a solution to boosting their market value Serves Good Change Any job is accompanied with the same routine, and with time it is imperative for a person to get bored of mundanity of work Changing the job thus, serves a good break and will keep you enthusiastic about the life and work In the case of job hoppers, boredom takes control over them very soon and thus, they have the tendency to change the jobs of a more frequent basis As you change jobs, you will meet new people, this will thus add to your contacts in various industries Better Opportunities The want for better job opportunities is the prime reason people hop between the jobs Job dissatisfaction in the person makes him change his job more often Job hoppers are always on the lookout for better job opportunities, and shift the moment they find a better job for themselves Helps find a favorite job Most young job seekers realize they won’t find their dream job following college Many people have this tendency of changing job because they have the desire to find their true job of expertise Through working in different fields they would be exposed to various work domains and they would find the field that is best for them Adaptability With rapidly changing technology and globalization, adaptability is crucial for career success Those who switch companies or industries often know how to adapt to know situations, and they may even thrive on frequent change Helps Find Area of Interest Many people have this tendency of changing job because they have the desire to find their true niche or area of expertise And this is definitely an advantage of job hopping; through working in different fields you would be exposed to various work domains and subsequently you would find the field that is best for you Variety of Experience By changing jobs frequently, you'll have knowledge of a variety of industries, procedures, and software The main advantage with having a variety of experiences qualification for more jobs 10 Job Search Expertise When you change your career, you can get an enviable skill of job hopping: finding a job easily If you jump from a job to another within a short period of time, you can catch up with the latest hiring trend Workers employed for many years at the same job forget how to navigate the job market Changing jobs frequently means you will never have an out-of-date resume or be out of practice on interviewing 11 Expands your network Ultimately, it will be your network, combined with your experience and achievements that will secure your next career move Moving around enables you to accumulate an extended and enviable network that you can tap into in the long-term 12 Suggests flexibility and a willingness to take risks While a willingness to take risks won’t be appropriate for all industries, in some cases it may give you that vital edge in comparison to other candidates 13 Exposes you to a range of cultures and ideas Employers will be keen to draw on your expertise and skills gained from a range of working environments Not only that, your skills will continually be honed and at their peak • DISADVANTAGES OF JOB HOPPING Lack of depth in knowledge -Changing jobs frequently because cannot collaborate with colleagues and adapt to the surrounding environment is one of the main reasons leading to lack of depth knowledge That is the big disadvantage for job seekers Employers will ask the question: "The candidates have the ability to work well? Is it because of poor working efficiency that the previous company did not accept them? Or by poor level? '' -When having found work but they not learn and practice to improve skills, not research deeply about professional issues So job seekers need to improve, learn and accumulate knowledge, soft skills to meet job requirements that employers need You should make specific plans from preparing application, interview to what to after being received so you can your dream job Association with negative traits Despite the increased acceptance of switching jobs, many employers still have a negative view of job hoppers They are wary of hiring employees who have a record of frequent job changes in their resume This is because an employee with many job records portrays someone who cannot be trusted in the long run There are some organizations who expect some form of commitment from their employees as far as the duration of work is concerned, and the record of frequent job changes makes the employer think twice before hiring the person Negative qualities like lack of sense of responsibility and commitment, immaturity, lack of mental focus also are associated with a person who changes his jobs frequent Affect trust and confidence Very often employer are wary of hiring employees who have a record of frequent job changes in their resume This is because an employee with many job record portrays someone who cannot be trusted in the long run There are some organizations who expect some form of commitment from their employees as far as the duration of work is concerned, and the record of frequent job changes makes the employer think twice before hiring the person Negative qualities like lack of sense of responsibility and commitment, immaturity, lack of mental focus also are associated with a person who changes his jobs frequently Lack of loyalty One major problem potential employer have with job – hoppers is a lack of loyalty Some frequent job changers just haven’t found the right company, but others have a problem sticking with any job They work for many companies so they don’t have much time to pay attention to work and get good affection They are not loyal to the company because they always think to search for a better job during the work time No Job Security It would not be wrong to say that job hopping is synonymous with lack of job security A person who changes jobs more frequently is less likely to get any long term benefits from the job This is because a person who shifts his jobs more often falls short on the experience factor, which counts a lot in making a long term successful careers For example, if it is your aim to become a manager, then this position demands the will to take responsibilities, putting in hard work and characteristics or qualities of a leader Frequent job change is thus, not recommended if you want to fit in this position • Understanding the basics of job hopping Employers are becoming more open to the idea of hiring ‘job hoppers’ but there are a few basic guidelines to adhere to:1 Know in advance what you’ll get from every new role: If you are going to change jobs quickly, make sure you have assessed the benefits thoroughly of what you will get out of your next role What skills and experience will you learn? Can you grow in your next position? Stay long enough to learn something from every job: You have to take something from it, even if you learn what type of role you don’t want! Moving every year is becoming more acceptable in today’s market but if feasible, aim for around eighteen months Be prepared to explain every move: It shouldn’t simply be a case of ‘it sounded like a great idea at the time’ (even if it was exactly that) Be prepared to provide recruiters and employers with a credible explanation of why you moved, whether it was to gain more skills, a short-term contract in between other jobs and so on You are your most recent job: Unless it was a ‘gap filler’, most employers and recruiters will identify you with the most recent position on your resume If that isn’t where you see yourself long-term choose your next move wisely Sideways moves – or even a temporary step back to learn new skills – are acceptable as long as they are part of your long-term plan Remain confident: Don’t allow skeptical recruiters to dampen your enthusiasm or flatten your self-esteem Your job hopping has given you insight and experience that will prove invaluable to a range of employers Today’s employment market values those who can respond to change positively A history of short-term roles isn’t the curse it used to be but some employers still view a job hopping history with a degree of pessimism Turn it to your advantage next time you encounter a sceptical recruiter or employer