With the workforce now largely made up of millennials, you can imagine the adjustments companies that are used to a tradition of long work hours, static work schedules, and lifelong employees are needing to make in order to stand a chance at retaining their millennial talent.
Millennials are looking for something different in the workplace–they want flexibility, they want to feel like they’re contributing to the whole of things, they want purpose, they want collaboration, they want growth and they won’t stop until they find it. Even when they do find it, there is still a great chance that they won’t stop because there is always a little bit more out there.
Thus, the phenomenon of job-hopping among millennials.
According to a recent study by professional staffing agency Ajilon:
- 26% of millennials believe that they should be looking for a new position within a year or less in their current position
- 83% acknowledge that job-hopping could make a bad impression but 86% wouldn’t let it stop them from searching for their dream career
- 39% of recruiters think that job-hopping is the biggest obstacle in trying to get a new job
Though the statistics indicate that there may be drawbacks from job-hopping, millennials can find substantial reasons why they’re all for continuing the practice despite what they may lose while doing so, check it out.
PROS
Experience —The more jobs you have and the more places you have them the more likely you are to acquire diverse set of skills, making you more marketable on the job market. Having small accomplishments that you may add to your résumé at every stop may prove to pack a big punch when looking at your whole picture as a professional.
Exposure — Each job provides a new opportunity for you to learn from a new set of people who possess their own tools, expertise, and experiences. This allows an advantage in mastering interpersonal communication, widens your worldview, alters your perspectives, and creates the space and opportunities for you to attain varying nuggets of knowledge along the way.
Building You Network —The more people you encounter in your career the more contacts you have, the more access you gain, the more moves you can potentially make. After all, it’s not always what you know, but who.
CONS
Lack of company loyalty — Companies are constantly looking to build so they’d ideally have a staff that is eager to build with them. This makes it easier to set long-term goals and take on long-term projects given the resources that the company has in its employees. Your lack of investment with time into the companies you work for could translate into the next company not investing at all in you.
Security — If you’re always one of the last one’s hired, you increase your likelihood of also being the first one fired.
Burned Bridges — Not all companies will take your “millennial ways†lightly. This could counter that network building you’ve set out to do. If your hasty departure leaves a bad taste, you run the risk of a bad review, which could hurt your chances at landing your next gig.
WHAT NOW?
Now, it’s all up to you. You have to decide what you’re willing to potentially lose in order to meet your desired gain. Try not to leave until you feel comfortable knowing that you got all you came for, and you’re certain that what else you may need in the future will be provided someplace else.
Lastly, think big picture. If your small steps are all leading to your ultimate big step, then you may want to keep stepping.
For more information be sure to visit ajilon.com.