Jumping jobs
It’s a slow disenchantment that can happen over several months, often without you noticing; then one day you wake up and realise that work has taken a slide from challenging to coma-inducing.
When that happens it can be time to make some tough calls. Do you hunker down on the lily pad? Or prepare to jump?
In today’s full employment market, there are ample opportunities for agile hoppers, along with pressure to keep your hind limbs flexed in order to be successful. But is it really necessary to leap from lily pad to lily pad to move upstream?
It used to be that people who switched jobs constantly were seen as unstable, unreliable and undeserving of a gold watch upon retirement.
These days, human resources managers are more likely to look askance at the person who plods along in the same position for years on end, seemingly sans drive or ambition.
Opinions vary, but many recruiters agree that anything more than five years in the same role is too long. Others argue three.
Even traditionally staid government sector expectations have changed, says Dr Ann Villiers, author of How To Write And Talk To Selection Criteria (Mental Nutrition), with the median length of service in the Australian public service just seven years.
“For those aspiring to senior levels ... moving around is considered a useful thing to do to gain experience in different agencies,” Villiers says.
Given that jumping from job to job is not only accepted, but expected, these days, what are some of the factors you need to consider before you make a move?
Because the decision can be an emotional one, it’s wise to weigh up your personal imperatives with as much objectivity as you can muster, says Jim Bright, an organisational psychologist and author of Should I Stay Or Should I Go?: How To Make That Crucial Job Move Decision (Prentice Hall).
Same old, same old
In his book, Bright urges people to conduct a “personal audit”, measuring their satisfaction with workmates, income and other factors such as the opportunity to use their skills at work.
He also singles out the dreaded “career plateau”, or dead end, as a significant factor in deciding whether to stay or go. Career plateaus, characterised by boredom, a sameness of duties, and “a terrible feeling that you have been marking time, as though you are counting down the days until you retire”, can be detrimental to the spirit.
“Being in a career plateau really is a problem for many people [and] there is plenty of research that has shown [it has] quite a negative psychological impact,” he says.
But Meredith Fuller, a Melbourne-based psychologist specialising in career change, cautions disaffected employees not to confuse a temporary hiatus with the more severe condition of career plateau.
“It’s a real dilemma at the moment for high-flying industry talent who are on a growth curve and want to keep learning,” she says. But sometimes - say, between two exciting projects - you do need to tolerate a little boredom, just as long as it doesn’t stretch on for too long.
“Remember that your personal timing might not suit the organisational timing,” she advises. “It’s like balancing on a tightrope. You need to be able to demonstrate some patience and internal fortitude (in the face of mundane duties). But at the same time, do not allow yourself to get parked somewhere, and perhaps derailed, if the gap between exciting assignments gets too wide.”
If the glory days of the company are over, if you disagree with the company’s fundamental philosophy, or if the company is prone to a merger or a takeover, it might be time to weigh up your options. But first, Fuller suggests, “Before you leave, ask yourself, ‘Have I really sucked the juice out of this place?’”
However, anything less than 12 months in a role - particularly when your resume is littered with similarly short stays - inevitably raises questions with the next employer.
There are exceptions: “You can take on a new role where you’re promised the world and it looks fantastic from the outside, but after a few weeks, you realise everyone’s dysfunctional and it’s a nightmare,” she says.
“Don’t worry about thinking, ‘Oh no, but I’ve got to give it 12 months to two years or it won’t look good on my resume’. Just get out, and do it fast, before you’re damaged.”
Signs you should stay put
“Often people stay out of habit, familiarity, or because they have never thought to leave,” Bright says. But sometimes there are sound reasons to stay put.
A track history of promotion
If you’re moving on up, it suggests you’re highly regarded and doing well within the organisation. Are such opportunities likely to be replicated elsewhere?
Rock-solid promise of a new position
Be careful your career doesn’t stall while you’re waiting on promises that don’t eventuate.
Excessive personal debt
If you have a huge mortgage and have maxed out your credit cards, accept that there’s little room to move financially.
Not been with the company long enough
Moving around with indecent haste can be a big career mistake.
No job to go to
It is easier to find work if you are in a job already.
The idiot you report to is strongly rumoured to be leaving
If the rumour has credibility, consider hanging on just a little bit longer.
Make the best of a dud job
If you’re stuck in an unsatisfying job there are several ways to make the situation more tolerable.
- Determine what you control and what you don’t control. Wasting energy on things you have no control over is a common trap.
- Consider how to enrich your role and negotiate with your manager to include more training, a rotation, a job redesign or additional responsibilities.
- Identify your strengths and aim to use them fully in the job, as using strengths provides a sense of engagement.
- Increase the pleasure you gain from non-work activities.
- Build a support group, comprising people who can look out for you and help keep your spirits up.
