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What is your view in job hopping?
I am changing job again, this will the 5th job in my five and a half years professional career (doesn’t count my TA job back in the university and part time software development role while I was still an undergrad in the university).
I am not ashamed that I have changed so many jobs, for that’s how I am consistently getting a 10-15% pay rise, EVERY year for the past 5 and half years. And it is a confirmation for my skills because there must be a company agrees to pay for the amount I am asking and there always seemed to be one so far.
I know this will not last, for eventually my pay will reach a level and stay there, or maybe less if I become sick/disabled (finger crossed that would never happen) or having kids and become a housewife (yeah right, that is so going to happen hahaha!)
Money, however was never the main motivation for the hoppings. Unlike some of my friends, I actually know my aim at any particular point in time, and unlike most of the others, it wasn’t for more money. Of course I always ask for a salary increase for it looks silly if I do not do so and it is one most certain thing about any job (despite how glorious you boss tells you your role will be) because let me tell you the truth, your boss tends to glorify the job just like you tend to glorify yourself in job interviews.
I can be quite dedicated to the company I am in. But your manager might not be very bright or his/her goal might not always align with company’s. Getting a good review does not always depend on how dedicated you are to your company or how capable you are.
On the upper side, getting a bad review isn’t always a bad thing. I have friends who changed jobs every time they were told ‘you better find another job’ or getting a bad review/no bonus, and ended up with a 20%-30% pay rise for every job changing they did, who are currently on 100k+. I also have friends who stay in one place for five years and pay increased from 50k to 60K+.
With that said, my current resume does not scream me a hopper. I stayed in the previous job for 2 years and the one before that for almost the same length, but 5 jobs in nearly 6 years doesn’t make me the stablest person in the history either. In fact, every time I go for an interview (if it’s not a pure technical test), I always get asked the question why I am leaving my previous role.
I wonder whether ‘job security’ has became a obsolete phrase. I fear, because I see so many people, after dedicated so many years of long hours, getting retrenched all of a sudden in the financial crisis.
Make you wonder whether it is ever worth the dedication.
I often wonder, if nowadays, the only job security comes from hopping. By change jobs, while always with a well calculated aim, keeps your skills to the bleeding edge while maintaining your marketable values.
I never believed in dedication in a job. Maybe it would be different if it was a career that I know that would make a positive difference to the whole human kind. But I don’t have such a fancy job, and as to my knowledge, very few people have. I can not the say I was the best employee for hire, but at least I can say I was always very marketable. Even at the edge of the economic recession, the time took me to find a higher paid, seemingly more interesting job was 2-3 weeks. On top of that I am capable, intelligent person who is willing to work hard when circumstance demands it.
But to tell you the truth, getting a higher paid job which is more interesting is only a temporary thing. Very few jobs stay exciting a few years into the role. And no matter what I do, my job is just some unimportant things I do to earn a living. Every now and then, I need the change to make my life more interesting. Hopping jobs make you meet new people, learn new things and the stress of adjusting makes you temporarily forget how boring your life really is.
I like technical tests, and I like interviews … and in a way, I like job hopping. It gives me hope, gives me something to look forward to. It gives me happiness.
I am changing job again, this will the 5th job in my five and a half years professional career (doesn’t count my TA job back in the university and part time software development role while I was still an undergrad in the university).
I am not ashamed that I have changed so many jobs, for that’s how I am consistently getting a 10-15% pay rise, EVERY year for the past 5 and half years. And it is a confirmation for my skills because there must be a company agrees to pay for the amount I am asking and there always seemed to be one so far.
I know this will not last, for eventually my pay will reach a level and stay there, or maybe less if I become sick/disabled (finger crossed that would never happen) or having kids and become a housewife (yeah right, that is so going to happen hahaha!)
Money, however was never the main motivation for the hoppings. Unlike some of my friends, I actually know my aim at any particular point in time, and unlike most of the others, it wasn’t for more money. Of course I always ask for a salary increase for it looks silly if I do not do so and it is one most certain thing about any job (despite how glorious you boss tells you your role will be) because let me tell you the truth, your boss tends to glorify the job just like you tend to glorify yourself in job interviews.
I can be quite dedicated to the company I am in. But your manager might not be very bright or his/her goal might not always align with company’s. Getting a good review does not always depend on how dedicated you are to your company or how capable you are.
On the upper side, getting a bad review isn’t always a bad thing. I have friends who changed jobs every time they were told ‘you better find another job’ or getting a bad review/no bonus, and ended up with a 20%-30% pay rise for every job changing they did, who are currently on 100k+. I also have friends who stay in one place for five years and pay increased from 50k to 60K+.
With that said, my current resume does not scream me a hopper. I stayed in the previous job for 2 years and the one before that for almost the same length, but 5 jobs in nearly 6 years doesn’t make me the stablest person in the history either. In fact, every time I go for an interview (if it’s not a pure technical test), I always get asked the question why I am leaving my previous role.
I wonder whether ‘job security’ has became a obsolete phrase. I fear, because I see so many people, after dedicated so many years of long hours, getting retrenched all of a sudden in the financial crisis.
Make you wonder whether it is ever worth the dedication.
I often wonder, if nowadays, the only job security comes from hopping. By change jobs, while always with a well calculated aim, keeps your skills to the bleeding edge while maintaining your marketable values.
I never believed in dedication in a job. Maybe it would be different if it was a career that I know that would make a positive difference to the whole human kind. But I don’t have such a fancy job, and as to my knowledge, very few people have. I can not the say I was the best employee for hire, but at least I can say I was always very marketable. Even at the edge of the economic recession, the time took me to find a higher paid, seemingly more interesting job was 2-3 weeks. On top of that I am capable, intelligent person who is willing to work hard when circumstance demands it.
But to tell you the truth, getting a higher paid job which is more interesting is only a temporary thing. Very few jobs stay exciting a few years into the role. And no matter what I do, my job is just some unimportant things I do to earn a living. Every now and then, I need the change to make my life more interesting. Hopping jobs make you meet new people, learn new things and the stress of adjusting makes you temporarily forget how boring your life really is.
I like technical tests, and I like interviews … and in a way, I like job hopping. It gives me hope, gives me something to look forward to. It gives me happiness.
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