Is it ‘job hoppin’ or jumping at opportunity?

How long should you stay with an employer… before it is considered job hopping? And would you be judged if you stayed with the same company for too long?

“A successful man continues to look for work after he has found a job.” – Unknown

It is completely normal to change companies or jobs every few years nowadays as very few people stay at a company for decades anymore. However, when you stay less than 2 years at a few companies you may be labelled as ‘not taking you career seriously’ and therefore not being a desirable employee to hire.

Job hopping is more acceptable for younger employees (in their twenties) that are still gaining experience and hunting for the right opportunities. After this, you are expected to be more responsible and have a career plan.

You have to remember that a company invests in you when you are hired. Yes, you work for a salary, but you become part of a team that rely on you. Your skills grow the longer you stay and you might even study further at the company’s expense.

How can you prove you’re committed to your career path without sticking around at your current company forever?

• Learn and grow – actively seek out opportunities to learn something new. Attend short courses, study online or through a distance learning university. Flesh out your CV with knowledge gained.
• Accomplish something – work hard, take on career growth demands and progress as far as you can. If there are no challenges left, create one. When you finally leave, it could be seen as you outgrowing your current position to potential employers.
• Make connections – establish and maintain connections, you never know when you’ll need a reference or need an introduction at a company for a position you really want. A referral from a current employee is sometimes worth more…

“The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand.” – Vince Lombardi

…another question, would I be judged if I stayed at the same company too long?

This is a tough one… It shows that you are committed and loyal to a company, but have you advanced in your career?

Many or most of us stay in a job too long because we get too comfortable and complacent. We put on blinders and focus on whatever path exists instead of looking at all the available paths in other organisations – and the ones we could build ourselves.

Once a year ask yourself these questions:

• Can I add to my resume? What have I learnt or accomplished this year?
• What do I want from my career? Is this job still moving me closer to my vision?

Once you go to sleep on your career, you are in danger of becoming obsolete.

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