Note to all the Job Hoppers
Food for thought: If you have been hopping jobs quite regularly or have hopped 3-4 times within the last five years, then I can assure you that on most occasions your resume gets passed over by hiring managers. Simply put, future employers see job hopping behavior as a high flight-risk hire.
Now what you should do is…
STOP!
Step back for a second and ask yourself these questions:
Am I changing jobs for the right reasons?
Is there anything that I can do to fix my current situation which would allow me to stay with my current employer, and be content?
When should you consider other job opportunities?
Opinions differ from one person to the next, but in my experience, if you are not waking up most mornings with excitement, then it’s likely you’ll never get to tap your full potential and be happy at your current job. You’ll essentially view your job only as a means of earning a pay check… each day will soon start to seem like Groundhogs day!
Reason to leave: A sinking ship will always sink. Even though you may have been a loyal employee there is really no need for you to go down with this Titanic.
Reason to leave: I hate my boss! I hate the girl in the cube next to me! I hate the…blah blah blah! You get my point. (Though remember, is this issue on a superficial level only? Can it be fixed? Do other employees feel the same about the person? Ask yourself honestly, “Is it me”?)
Reason to leave: Lack of work-life balance. Only you can decide your priorities. You’ll never have another opportunity to see your children grow up, or be there for your life partner’s graduation. If that’s what’s important and there’s no flexibility at your work then consider moving on.
Reason to leave: Bored? No light at the end of your tunnel? If you have not learned anything new and work has become more of a daily grind then it may be time to leave.
Reason to leave: Workplace harassment, verbal abuse, etc.
But again, just because you’re not excited does not mean you need to move on. Perhaps you should look at ways to make the job work for you. Consider the following:
- Speak candidly to your boss about the areas of your job which you like least. At the same time, seek to maximize the areas you enjoy most.
- Consider the career choice as a whole. Is it really your position you dislike – or just the current employer? If it’s the position as a whole, then it’s time for a career change- not a company change with the same job duties.
- Reflect on the last job that did excite you. What made you happy? What did you have before that’s missing in your current role?
- Take inventory on what exactly is making you unhappy. Is it money? Hours? Your boss? If you don’t know what you don’t like right now, how would you know to fix it in the future position? It’s imperative to reflect now than put it off later.
When you do decide that it’s time to make the move, you should have other options ready.
First step (do this before leaving): Contact a recruiter or contact me (I would love to work with you), so that I or another recruiter can work with you to find out what it is that really makes you tick! I can’t promise that I will be able to find you your dream job in a week or even two weeks. But, I promise to work with you to make sure that we are getting you into a role where you will …A) be happy B) see career progression C) get fulfillment beyond monetary compensation.
Lastly, it’s always a good idea to have an offer in hand before you put in your two-week notice. Avoid preemptively quitting if you can help it. Hiring managers tend to prefer currently employed candidates instead of someone who chose to be unemployed. But, remember – they may be more likely to hire an unemployed candidate than a serial job hopper. So, do your homework, and know what you want before … hopping!
