Destiny is not a matter of chance. It is a matter of choice: it is not to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved. – William Jennings Bryan
Job hopping which was considered “unattractive” once upon time, is gathering credence in present times. The tables have turned. The myth that a job-hopper is unstable, not a good team player, not enduring etc, etc is busted; instead the new thinking is job-hoppers are precious assets. They are more knowledgeable, marketplace-savvy, and skilled than somebody who has held one job for a long time. So where do you fit? Are you stuck with a job for long years or have you moved in jobs in two or two-and-a-half years? If you have stayed in a job for many years, you had better have a good reason for staying at that job.
Today, the norm of hiring is changed radically; many workers who have built alarming reputations as job-hoppers are more sought after by many companies. Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC), in Oak Ridge, TN, a multinational corporation with 24,000 employees located at 150 sites around the world, hires only job-hoppers.
In a recent research which was conducted for comparing data of long-term employment history against many short-term employment histories across a population of over 100,000 applicants, the conclusion drawn was that it is stupidity to go by the record of previous employment/s while hiring. This because it hardly makes a difference while looking at an output of an employee as to how many jobs a person had, and for what duration. This parameter was of no statistical significance. This commonly-held principle of looking at applicant’s previous work history is actually a poor predictor of future outcomes.
Today’s modern workplaces are witnessing a new breed of dynamic employees with a firm belief that a range of diverse employments will improve their credentials, skills and experience, thus positively impacting career progression. It is thus deemed that it is a good idea to regularly change jobs. The business world is slowly accepting this reality; as with changing economy and changing demography, working conditions are changing, autocracy is out and democracy is in. Business outcomes have become fluid, for better proceeds organizations need pragmatic employees. It would be unfair to expect employees to stick to one job and be static.
The rationale for changing jobs is – being in a new position and doing something new makes a person agile, and keeps him/her excited. There is something to look forward to everyday. There is something new to learn. Whilst, haphazard reasons for leaving a job such as – a particular cubicle not being given, food of your taste not being served in company’s canteen or not liking the portico can damn career prospects.
Success is about having the confidence and determination to do it. Go for jobs which motivate you, which drive you to do something you want to, do things in your career you were longing for, where your interest and specialization is harnessed. Most important, understand what motivates you. Once you accept that success and failure are both worthy opportunities of personal development, it becomes easy to understand the importance of trying new things, and risking the so called ‘bad ideas’.
Today, people want to take up jobs where they are empowered, where the work culture is reasonable and stirring. People want to be recognized for their contribution, they want to be rewarded, and they want to be respected for their individuality. People quit bosses and not the organization. It is a hypothesis proven by a research at Harvard.
While we are talking about individuals, even organizations require concentrated efforts to reduce attrition. Good managers attract
more aspirants because they drive performance, engagement and retention, and play a key role in maximizing employees’ output in strengthening the firm. Poor managers, by contrast, are a drag on all of the above. They cost energy drain to a firm. For any firm too much of employee turnover is not a good sign either. It costs them reputation, missed opportunities, mounting expenses in training and development, material loss and much more.
So, dear job hoppers next time, someone calls you a job hopper, stand up tall and tell them proudly, that you are hired every time because you have the talent and the skill and because you are passionate about your career. Remember, strategic job hopping is a new way to create a passionate career.
