Career Development

What You Need To Know About Changing Jobs

If you’re like a lot of people, you find a job and stick with it. You settle into your routine of going to work everyday and doing what you’re told. Then, one day you look around and realize that this is not your dream job. You’ve been going through the motions of working and collecting your paycheck with no sense of satisfaction. You dread going to work and look forward to weekends. What do you do now? It may be time for a job change. But, will changing jobs help you or hurt you?

The days of the "lifer" are gone. Welcome to the era of job promiscuity where frequent job changes aren't frowned upon, they are encouraged. But, before you start down the path of frequent job changes, make sure you do your homework. What is the norm for your industry?

There are several factors to consider...

How often is too often to change jobs?

The truth is different employers have different perspectives. One hiring manager may view frequent job changes as a sign of a go-getter who wants to stay in the game. Another, may see you as a liability instead of an asset to the company.

Job hopping might make you come across as unreliable and undependable. Employers may be less willing to invest time and resources in training someone with frequent job changes.

On the other hand, job hopping is becoming more acceptable in today’s job market. People are changing jobs more frequently. The era of the “career lifer” is practically a thing of the past since fewer people are staying at the same job for more than 4 years.

Changing jobs does not always mean changing employers.

It may simply mean changing departments to find the growth potential you are looking for. Moving to a different department in the same company will allow you to keep your seniority while showing that you are on the lookout for ways to keep your skills sharp.

Companies are always changing  how they do business.

The skills needed yesterday to do a job may not be needed today and vice versa. The technology industry which is constantly changing and growing is a good example of rapidly changing skill sets. If you stay in the same seat for too long, you may find yourself a dinosaur in your industry.

Regardless of how often you change jobs, , you need a sound reason and boredom isn’t a good reason. When employers look at your resume, they will want to know why you changed jobs. It is up to you to demonstrate your ability to make sound and reasonable decisions.

As with anything in life, you have to find a balance between good and bad. You don’t want to become a dinosaur in your industry, but you don’t want to be overly promiscuous with your jobs either.