I am a lucky lady; I have been with my current company for almost 7 years. I am happy, I continue to grow and learn new things every day and I can easily see myself here in another 7 years’ time.
I am not someone you would consider to be a job hopper. However, I meet with people you may label “Job Hoppers” every day. The reasons for people leaving their place of employment are endless… Some are looking for growth, some feel they are been mistreated, some have moved house and are looking for a role closer to home, some even have taken a job that just wasn’t right for them…all of these reasons are fine and the list goes on!
However, there are a group of people who I really want to discuss today, and they are the grass is always greener on the other side people. These are the people who jump from job to job thinking the next opportunity is going to be WAY better than their current circumstance. They are always on the lookout for more…more money, more opportunity, more benefits, larger company, smaller company, better location and they never seem to be satisfied longer than 12 months.
Let’s be frank, the majority of us work to be paid, so money is an important factor. We spend more time at work than at home, so job satisfaction and the right fit is critical. We all love benefits and working close to home can provide us with work life balance. This is not a problem, the problem occurs when someone jumps from job to job to the point where it is doing their career harm. It becomes an issue when potential employers overlook your application because of the amount of moving around you have done. The reason this happens is the potential employer fears they will not stay with their company very long and in turn this will cost them both time and money. This fear is of course valid, if you have only stayed in your permanent positions no longer than 6 months each why would they think you are going to stick around when it comes to them?
The job seeking world is a cruel one and unfortunately it is not always fair. Your dream job could come up tomorrow; you may have the perfect skills and experience for the position however you could miss out based on your track record of moving from job to job. Employers are looking for much more than skills and personality, they want to hire someone they can rely on, someone they can envision being a part of their company for a very long time.
What I would suggest to all job seekers, is to really think about a job before you accept it. Ask yourself is this a company you could see yourself with long term? Have you done your research? Do you feel this company is the right fit for you?
I would never recommend anyone stays in a role they are not happy in, no matter how long they have been there; I would never suggest turning down or not always keeping your eyes open for new and exciting career opportunities. I would however urge all job seekers to make sure that the next job you are offered and accept is with someone you see yourself working with long term.
Your resume is your first impression when applying for positions and your past employment is your history. This could make or break your chances at your dream job!