Career Tips
Why Job Hopping is the Secret to a Successful Career
Date Posted: 01/19/2018
While some believe that job hopping is career suicide, there are actually quite a few advantages to working in a variety of positions in your career history. As job longevity is slowly becoming a thing of the past, recruiters and hiring managers are changing their outlook on job hopping and recognising the benefits it brings.
Better skillset
Job hopping means you have picked up new skills in every job role you’ve been a part of, meaning you are an asset to any new company who is bringing you on. Employers want the best in the business to make their company stand out from the rest, so if you can provide knowledge and experience from that, you are of much more value. Changing jobs means new learning opportunities and a variety of experiences that you can utilise later on down the road in your new job.
Increased adaptability
It’s easy to become stuck in a routine and hardened into doing things a certain way when you are in one place for a long time. Job hopping is great for helping you realise there’s not just one “right” way of doing things. Employers will recognise the fact that even though you are knowledgeable and experienced, you are also adaptable to new environments and open to opinions different from your own. Thriving in new situations is an extremely valuable trait to have.
Diverse background
Someone who has a diverse work background can bring a range of new ideas and alternative ways of doing things. They are able to bring their past experiences into their current job situation and offer fresh solutions that co-workers, who have been in one job for an extended period of time, might not be able to see. A diverse work background also means exposure to a range of industries and different-sized companies, meaning the employee has overcome a wide variety of challenges with each experience.
Larger network
It’s no secret that your network is your net worth. In any new job situation, you never know when you’ll need to call in favours off old bosses, previous co-workers, or other people you’ve met. Connecting with people in different fields gives you the chance to utilise those relationships down the road when you need help with a project in which they may specialize. Having a larger network also leads to more opportunities that might only be spread through word-of-mouth referrals.
Exposure to different businesses and people
Although sometimes our bosses and coworkers make us want to pull our hair out, being surrounded by people who practice business differently, and have varying beliefs on life and culture, broadens your knowledge and allows you to adapt and thrive in different situations. Staying in one job your whole life, surrounded by the same people and doing the same things day after day, doesn’t lead to any expansion or growth as a professional. Staying mentally sharp and challenging yourself in your work life allows invaluable exposure to different kinds of people. Moreover, because businesses are constantly changing, job hopping keeps you up-to-date on everything happening in the marketplace.
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