Changing jobs every three to five years will give you the experience to keep your job-hunting skills fresh while still being able to build a level of comfort with the company. The fact is that if your position is not changing every three to five years, you are not doing enough to advance in the company or your career.
The reason to stay put in your job usually looks something like this:
- You love the people you work with.
- You think you will learn something new in the coming year.
- Your personal life is chaotic, so moving to a new job is too much to handle right now.
- There is a level of risk associated with changing jobs that you do not want to deal with.
Most people wait until they have to change jobs because of a lay-off or there is no other option. They are at a disadvantage at this point because they are starting over on their job-hunting skills. They will have forgotten how to write a resume, interview, and impress employers so that they stand out above the hundreds of other applicants. Someone that keeps up their job-hunting skills by changing jobs every five years or so will have an edge on the rest.
Here are ten reasons why it is important to change jobs every three to five years.
- People that experience more workplaces will be able to detect a healthy one vs. a toxic workplace so that they can avoid the toxic ones before it is too late.
- People that change jobs often develop strong internal consulting skills that are needed in the millennium workplace.
- Keeping the same job for too many years keeps your network at a small size. It will often just include those you know at your work. On the other hand, changing jobs lets you grow an extensive network.
- Changing jobs allows you to have more power stories for that time when you are job-hunting and interviewing again.
- With more experience comes the ability to brand yourself better. You are in the market more often, so you know what the market is looking for.
- You can only know your true market value if you are in the market.
- Changing jobs keeps you more in tune with the outside world and not the internal politics of your current job.
- The more you move around, the more skills you can pick up from working with different programs and procedures.
- Keeping your job for many years does not allow you to practice your interview skills, which will make it or break it for you when you are on the job hunt.
- The more experience you get working with new people, the more you will understand that not everyone has to like you. You will learn to get along with others, but your life will not revolve around whether someone likes you or not.
See the following articles for more information:
- How to Impress Your Interviewer When Making a Career Change
- How to Change Careers Part 1: Is a Career Change Right for You?
- How to Change Careers Part 2: Coping with a Career Change
- How to Change Careers Part 3: Making the Change
- A Basic Twelve Step Approach for Job Changing
- Tips on Changing Jobs, Career Fields or Industries
- Finding Jobs and Changing Careers
- Critical Steps to Career Change Success
- In Defense of Long-Term Employment with a Single Employer
