How Often Should You Change Jobs?

As much as you keep improving your skills, your interests may lie elsewhere. And you could start wondering, how often should you change jobs?  Experts say, “more than 4 million Americans have quit their jobs every month for the last six months”.

Though changing jobs may seem difficult at the time or could be hard to communicate with your managers but it’s essential to know that changing jobs can be great for both your personal and professional life.

Consistent work never beats passionate productivity

Why changing jobs is good?

You don’t quit before quitting: When you stay at a job longer, you tend to quiet quit or what is known as coasting. Coasting means only doing the bare minimum to keep your job. Because of this, it is always a struggle to challenge yourself and elevate your self-growth. You tend to become more comfortable and do not try to give in your best. Whereas, you either don’t enjoy your job anymore or you feel burnt out. Switching jobs is a great way to challenge yourself and keep you motivated to work. Since you get to do what you love.

Increased salary: Your first company or second can be an opportunity for experience but there comes a downside to this which is, receiving a raise seems almost impossible. The question is; how often should you switch jobs? Comes with an answer—it might be easy to negotiate your earnings when you have some experience under your belt. Again switching jobs also give room for higher earnings. Whereas your previous job may find it harder to negotiate either because the prices are fixed or promotion spaces are filled.

Advanced Experience: Sometimes a different work environment is exactly what you need to get back into work mode. Frequently changing jobs can help you gain new experience both work-related and off-work. For instance, you get to meet new colleagues, you get to have a more flexible work routine, have refreshing travel experiences, and most importantly a bigger opportunity to sharpen your skill set.

Changing Job at Different Intervals

Although, how often you switch jobs depends on what you want to achieve, how you feel, your values at the moment, and overall how happy you are at your present job.

The following is a research-based list of real worker’s experiences involving the pros and cons of changing jobs at different intervals, 3-6months, 1 year, and 2-4years:

How often should you change jobs?

(3-6 months):

Do you find it hard to commit to a job or do you have a concrete reason for leaving?

“I love my coworker and duties but there is no end in sight to these phone calls, most of which we just don’t have answers for. I dread coming in now whereas I used to love it”- Mindy Hammons

Pros

• You don’t get stuck for a long time in a job that doesn’t keep you motivated, matches your skill set, and promotes your self-growth
• There is an opportunity to gain diverse experience quickly.

Cons

• If you did not give your previous job a proper chance in terms of trying to cooperate and seeing the bigger picture, there is a possibility you might regret leaving. Especially if your new job isn’t great.
• Switching jobs after 3-6 months might affect your resume which could leave you on a long job search journey. More so when you don’t have a substantial reason why you left your previous job.

How often should you change jobs?

(1 year):

Not making this a habit—job hopping—will help you achieve more and grow according to your career goals.

Pros

• With a versatile experience, you are more marketable and that gives you a higher chance of getting the job compared to others.
• Payment is also negotiable. In most cases where a company urgently needs to hire, your experience gives you a better opportunity to get paid on your terms.
• Above all, you learn how to adapt faster, coexist easily, and communicate effectively since you might work with different companies. Plus there is a chance for work flexibility, great travel experience, and mastering new skills.

Cons

• How often you change jobs might require some proof of your accomplishments over the previous year. Some recruiters would want to see how much you were able to achieve in your previous position. It may be difficult getting a job if you have no interesting achievements.
• Employers might be skeptical when it comes to your resume. Especially if you don’t have outstanding previous achievements to show your performance at your previous job. Because in reality, every company wants someone they could rely on long-term.

How often should you change jobs?

(2-4 years):

After staying 2-4 years with a company, how often you should change jobs requires self-evaluation.

Your reasons should align with what you have built over the years in mind. If you eventually get stuck job-searching or get a lower role then this could affect your career goals.

Pros

• Top-notch experience compared to other recruits. This puts you in the front seat during the hiring process.
• Higher roles can be easier to get with 4 years of experience like managing roles as well as a higher salary. Particularly if you have amazing work experience and achievements.

Cons

• Contrary to the fact you have more experience, some companies prioritize versatility above anything. Whereas a resume that shows you spent a long time in a single company might trigger curiosity about how diverse you can be. And this might limit your chances of winning jobs you are passionate about.
• Considering the amount of time spent in a single company, you might find it hard to adapt to your new work environment. The workspace, the people, and even particular work routines. Making you less motivated to work and unsatisfied, if you don’t adapt easily to new environments.

One thing is clear, there’s no solid rule on how often you should change jobs. There are different reasons why you may decide to frequently change jobs. Maybe you feel burnout or don’t think your job is a perfect fit for your skill set. Although, be sure not to make this a habit and always try to evaluate your decision properly.

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