In the 17 years
since I graduated from college, I’ve held seven jobs—a fact which technically
makes me a job hopper. It also expanded my network and made me a little bit richer
compared to my other friends.
“Job hopper” is a
term often synonymous with professionals who are dynamic and aggressive in
career. Although it's a debatable topic if job hopping is required or if
it is needed after certain amount of time. If companies are not loyal to
employees, why should employees be. In this ever-changing business environment
and culture, each party (employee or employer) believes in profit. So, it's up
to you if a job hoping is required at certain moments or not.
My first job tenure
in a mid-size company was of around 5+ years. I learned a lot there and felt
the need of changing the company because of salary issues. I got 40% salary
hike at my first move. This trend continues (almost) in each job switch. It was
not about money but other factors also which directs me to switch.
So, I hopped. But
job hopping didn’t just help me find interesting work. It also sharpened
different skills and significantly increased my income. Negotiating with a
new employer often yields better results than hoping for significant bumps at
your current position.
Another advantage of
job hopping - Career advancement opportunities which we can’t always get by
staying with one company.
But one thing which
I feel in last 5 years is that job hopping becomes difficult and tedious job
when you have a progressive experience of more than 12 years. You must settle
down in an organization (after initial job hopping) where you can spend time
with your dear ones besides office hours. Work Life Balance, a new term coined
in the market, plays a role here.
-Sanat Sharma
No comments:
Post a Comment