Job hopping: Has the Great Resignation era changed the way we view it?

In recent months, the job market has been buzzing with trends such as Quiet Quitting and Career Cushioning and the waves they’ve making. With how similar these trends are to job hopping and the inevitable lead to the topic itself, what more with Gen Z-ers in the picture and the common sentiment that they job hop very quickly, people have revived discussions surrounding the topic and how it seems to fit into the grander scheme of things.

Why do people job hop?

Job hopping, as its name denotes, is the act of switching jobs in a short period of time. Employees stay in their job for 1-2 years (sometimes months if it is a short-term project) before making the shift, and it is voluntary. People job hop for numerous reasons. For freshies and those who are just getting started out in their career, job hopping provides them exposure and a safety net to experience different industries. For professionals who have cemented themselves in their respective industries, it is a way to demand higher salary and better packages to commensurate the skills and experiences that you bring to the table.

In today’s modern job market, the meaning of job hopping remains unchanged, though the term carries additional significance to Gen Z-ers. For them, job hopping is a great way to keep their vocational experiences fresh and exhilarating. Their motto is to live their career to the fullest, and they won’t hesitate to move around until they have found what they want. It is also a way of ensuring career freedom. They have also abandoned the traditional concept of sticking to a job for aeternum out of obligation. More importantly, job hopping is a great way to build one’s portfolio, which is useful in industries such as tech and creative. Rather than tying themselves to a company long term, Gen Z-ers prefer attaching to companies on a per-project basis, and the older group of jobseekers are seemingly latching on to the trend as well.

Today, companies have adopted a whole new stance towards job hopping. Contrary to past perception that job hopping is indicative of an individual who can’t commit to their jobs, employers now perceive those who stay too long in their jobs as complacent folks who lack ambitions and goals. Depending on whose side you’re on, there’s really no hard and fast rule to job hopping. The general consensus is IF you want to grow, you need to get on with the times and hop around until you’ve acquired the skills you need to succeed. And we think this infographic by IBERDROLA perfectly illustrates the conundrum.

Employers still wary of job hoppers

Though job hopping is perfectly acceptable for many, there remain many employers who still detest job hopping and refuse to embrace the change, for good reasons of course. The answer is simple, every talent lost is an investment organizations aren’t going to get back. A study by Korn Ferry found that every time a talent exits a Fortune 500 firm, employers spend 0.25 - 2.5 times the salary to locate a replacement, recruit, train and develop the new talent, that’s approximately $58 million cost for companies yearly.

Despite growing sentiments that job hopping is a great way to expand one’s skills and portfolio, employers such as Relay Payment CPO Amy Zimmerman believe job hopping shouldn’t be done blindly and inconsiderately.

“It sends quite a few negative signals. Number one, you lack commitment. Number two, you lack perseverance. It tells me that if the going gets tough, you get going.”

Financial costs aside, in the same article referenced above, employers such as Randstadt Singapore and Malaysia MD Jaya Dass express concerns and doubts over job hoppers’ skill sets and their accompanying depth.

“The younger generation is not wrong in saying that they’ve mastered the job in its functionality… But when you skip on tenure in a particular role and function, you ignore the factors of change that will help you evolve in decision-making complexity.”

Zimmerman further adds to Dass’ sentiments by claiming that job hopping is not a sustainable approach to a better salary and package in the long run. As time goes by, job hoppers will come to find that their lack of depth in knowledge and skills, particularly on a technical level, will diminish their appeal to future employers, which eventually renders them less competitive in the job market.

Is job hopping beneficial to us?

Despite the ongoing debate about the hazards of job hopping and how it could backfire on us, most of the job market has come to accept the movement as a way of life for many job seekers. The key lies in hitting the sweet spot, that is 2-3 years per job hop. Dass adds that a minimum of 1.5 years is acceptable, though she recommends 3-5 years ideally before making a switch.

On all accounts, Forbes Council Member Dr. Marcia F. Robinson believes that job hopping is okay particularly when you find yourself in a toxic work environment that just doesn’t resonate nor align with your values. Robinson further argues that lateral movement in large organizations are not frowned upon and are often considered job hopping in its own right, insisting that job hoppers should not be given the same discrimination if they decide to move on from smaller organizations, where career movements are not as prominent nor possible. Robinson also believes that job hoppers are entitled to their own decisions.

“You make your own rules about your career happiness in the social frameworks within which we individually exist.”

Looking past exposure, greater portfolio development and personal freedom, are there any further advantages to job hopping? According to many career experts, yes. Here are some of them.

Adaptability

Job hoppers who frequently move from one company to the next are capable of adapting to their new environments with ease. Due to their nomadic nature and constant moments of being thrusted into new places, job hoppers can easily acclimate themselves into a newer environment.

Greater social skills

New environments bring new faces, and with that, new social skills. As job hoppers move companies, they gain the privilege of working with new faces, which allows them to polish their communication and people skills, two vital soft skills that organizations everywhere prioritize.

Better salary benchmarks

A typical job hop experience warrants anywhere between a 5-20% salary increment. The bigger the position, the higher the increment, and this trend will continue to apply every time a job hopper moves on to a new job. In short, you will see an increased salary.

The bottom line...

Well, who are we to stop you? If job hopping is your ticket to a better life, why wouldn’t you hop away? After all, we were employees once who have job hopped ourselves, and we all know that loyalty and devotion to an organization is not always returned in kind nor rewarded. Sometimes, it is taken for granted instead. Unlike 10, 20 years ago where job hopping was commonly frowned upon, job hoppers are more in demand today and willing employers won’t hesitate to shell out the necessary money to attract the right talents. The real question is, even if job hopping is no longer the frowned upon notion that it once was, do you have what it takes to be deserving of the package? And say you’ve landed yourself a job that you truly enjoy, can you bring yourself to commit for the long run? Or will you job hop in 2-3 years and justify the movement and risk sideway looks all over again? Worse still, what happens if your job hopping attempts hit a dead end and you’re no longer the desirable candidate solely because of that, can you live with your actions? Only you can answer that.