Am I Really a Job-Hopper?

In Industrial Psychology, the Generational Theory, simply put, looks at when you were born to predict how you behave at work. According to this theory, if you were born from the Eighties to the Nighties, you belong to the Generation of Millennials. Regardless of your generation denominator, if you value a good work-life balance and a sense of purpose beyond financial gains, you have a Millennials’ approach to work.

I was not born in the 80s, but I was not far from it. I could possibly say I am ahead of my time when it comes to managing my career, or maybe I am just a job-hopper. According to the Millenials’ approach to work, job-hopping does not become such an issue on your CV anymore. It is all part, ideally, of a well-planned career path that you design carefully and review periodically to get where you need to get in your profession.

Millennials embrace an “I’ve got places to go and people to meet” attitude that, inevitably, will put them on the spot with every interview panel when they have to explain why they changed organizations four times in the last year.

At the workplace, Millenials go into new roles gracefully, and their ability to adapt to change is impressive. Colleagues who have worked in the organisation for a number of years fail to grasp that changing organisations regularly, changing teams and ways of working make you more effective at taking control of your own professional development. You become more aware of the workplace dynamics, as you have experienced many. You quickly build professional relationships that work, because you need others more. You constantly see the opportunity in change because you are always changing. You accelerate your learning by failing better every time. You are well equipped to start contributing from the outset, and everyone can see that you can challenge, or even knock about the Status Quo.

Millenials know that pay cuts can turn into smart investments. Taking a low-paid job could offer you the skills you need in your next role. In fact, certain organisations, knowing at the interview stage that you will not stick around for long, are still happy to give you the job because they know the positive impact Millenials can have across their organisation. It is all part of the game and, just like a game, it does not last long. Millenials are particularly skilful at giving introduction and leaving speeches that resonate “I’m not here for a long time; I’m just here for a good time”.

Unfortunately, for some, the need for financial stability, family commitments or, regrettably, the “age” issue, will hinder the possibility to move jobs as frequently as they wish. Moving jobs every three months or every three years depends entirely on the individual and her long-term career plans. Ideally.

I just completed two months at my current role. In fact, I just completed two years in my brand-new career in Human Resources. I was a Secondary Teacher two years ago. I took a frivolous pay cut to work as an HR Assistant for four months in a large organisation. Then, I completed four months at a much smaller organisation as an HR Officer. Similar pay and similar tasks, but a more senior job title on your CV. I was a Recruitment Consultant for four months. Then I worked for their main competitor as a Training Consultant for another four months. I learned a lot in record time. I also earned the title of job-hopper. Surprisingly, I previously worked in the same organisation for six years; and I have spent the last fourteen years working in inner-London secondary schools.

Even Millenials need to stay and grow in a role within an organisation. This is paramount to build confidence, gain solid experience and develop credibility in the profession. Millenials are able to settle down in a role if their organisation offers them countless opportunities for development and growth. In fact, aren’t we all in need of that support and challenge? Engagement is key. Engagement breeds commitment and commitment is contagious.

However, are our organisations feeling the urgency to retain their talent as the pool of well-qualified professionals shrinks in front of us? Besides innovative marketing strategies to attract talent, organisations need to keep their current staff in their books for as long as possible by coaching and mentoring, developing benefits and focusing on a culture change that puts people at the front of “what we do here”. Otherwise, in approximately four months, Millenials will be happy to tell you “they’ve got places to go and people to meet”. Now, am I really a job-hopper?

Sandra M. Rodriguez