If you’ve struggled to stay in one job for a prolonged period of time, you’ve probably heard the term “job hopper.” This term refers to people who have held multiple jobs over a relatively short period of time, and it’s usually viewed as a negative trait for those looking to grow their career.
If you’re wondering how to stop the job hopping pattern once and for all, you have to understand why it’s happening and then take some specific steps. But first, let’s address the conflicting messages you may be hearing.
[See: 10 Things They Don’t Tell You About Your First Job.]
Is Job Hopping Really So Bad?
Some people argue that job hopping isn’t the devastating career bomb it used to be. Others suggest it’s still a slow form of career suicide. So which is it?
Early in your career, a little job hopping is deemed acceptable. In most cases, it’s viewed as experimentation, which is simply par for the course when you’re just starting out. However, those who have developed a distinct pattern of job hopping in the past may find — at some point — the perception begins to shift. A significant period of employment inconsistency can drastically harm your chances of finding new employment. After all, if your track record suggests you won’t stay longer than a year or two, prospective employers may begin to wonder if you’re worth the investment.
Being a “job hopper” is a difficult label to overcome. For recruiters and hiring managers, a scattered, short-term employment record can signal you lack focus and discipline, or that you’ve been unable to meet the demands in various roles. Or it can simply suggest that you don’t know what you really want. In truth, any of these perceived reasons may be the true underlying cause of the issue.
Regardless of the implications job hopping can have for prospective employers, it’s important to recognize the impact it has on you. For most people, bouncing around from job to job causes a lot of stress and uncertainty. It doesn’t feel satisfying or fulfilling. You may truly feel unfocused or indecisive about the direction of your career. Indeed, you may find it becomes harder to move around as your history becomes more and more scattered.
These are real consequences of job hopping. Even those who don’t like the label and think it shouldn’t be viewed negatively may still find it a frustrating pattern to deal with. So if you’re craving a stable, long-term position, it’s time to evaluate why you’ve been job hopping in the first place.
[See: 10 Reasons to Quit Your Job Already.]
Why Most People Job Hop
Many people job hop because they’re making reactive decisions. They experience some kind of dissatisfaction at work — a bad week, an annoying client, an irritating co-worker — and they quickly determine it’s not the right fit. They suffer from “greener grass syndrome,” where they begin to believe that anything would be better than the situation they’re currently in.
As a result, they find themselves filled with anxiety and a sense of urgency. They’re ready to move and, therefore, they’re more inclined to make rash decisions. They aren’t proactively seeking the right opportunity; they’re merely reacting to their current circumstances.
These people inevitably leap at the first (potentially) good thing to come along, only to find it isn’t all they had hoped for. Then they’re right back where they started. They get anxious to move and inevitably make another bad decision.
This is the vicious cycle of job hopping. Once it starts, it’s difficult to stop. You’re constantly reacting to the present rather than being proactive about the future. This is the mindset that has to shift in order to break the cycle.
[See: Here’s What You Should Know About Gen Z Workers.]
3 Steps to Stop the Job Hopping Cycle
The cycle is hard to stop, but not impossible. Here are the steps to follow.
1. Stop Reacting, Start Planning
To break the pattern, you first have to stop reacting. Stop making decisions based on where you are and start making decisions based on where you want to be.
Take the time to truly evaluate what’s working and what’s not in your current situation, and determine what the right path looks like for the future. Get clear on your preferences. Evaluate your talents and how they are best used in the workplace. Figure out what you want before you ever begin to look at what’s available.
When you’re unhappy where you are, it’s easy to browse job boards and see potential happiness in anything. Don’t indulge that fantasy.
2. Take Advantage of Where You Are
As you go through this process of self-evaluation, use the time in your current role to gain as much experience as you can. Soak up knowledge, take on new challenges and build your competencies. You’ll take these things with you wherever you go, so nothing is lost by giving this current position your absolute best. Plus, you’ll ensure you have strong professional references for the future.
3. Execute Your Job Search
Finally, once you’re clear on what you want in your next role (not just what you don’t want), make a plan for executing a successful job search. Remember, you’re not just looking for any job, you’re looking for the right job. That means you need to customize your resume to perfectly match the role you want, leverage your professional network to find hidden opportunities and be patient. Don’t allow your current dissatisfaction to drive your decisions or push you to accept something that isn’t really what you want. Do your due diligence, ask questions and be discerning.
It’s worth noting that things may not always play out perfectly, even when you take a more methodical, proactive approach. You can never know for sure what a job is like until you’re actually doing it. However, if you’ve gone through this process as outlined here, and you still end up in a job you’re not happy with, you’ll at least have the satisfaction of knowing that you did everything you could. You’ll learn a great deal from the experience and won’t make the same mistakes again.
In most cases, even if you don’t end up with the perfect “forever” job, it will still be a good option for a longer period of time than otherwise. Perhaps you can stay for five years, and then continue your pursuit of the next green pasture.
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The Most Common Reason for Job Hopping — and 3 Steps to Stop It! originally appeared on usnews.com
