Job Surfing is Becoming More Acceptable
By: Mick, March 27th, 2007
According to an article by Hanah Cho in the Baltimore Sun, job hopping is fine, for awhile. Even before reading Hanah’s article, I would have guessed that this is the case. It seems that young workers are more willing than ever to move from job to job in the hopes that they are going to find one that actually makes them happy. That is in pretty stark contrast to the traditional working mindset of “I need to find a job that will pay the bills while I manically save for retirement.”
Philip Gardner, director of the Collegiate Employment Research Institute at Mighigan State University, explains the trend like this:
“It doesn’t mean these kids are slackers,” Gardner says. “What everyone is looking for is [career] fit. Companies are looking for fit, and kids are looking for fit. More than ever before, kids aren’t sure what they’re looking for but know it when they see it. In response to that, they are looking.”
The article goes on to explain that employer loyalty is no longer a factor for many young job seekers. They are more concerned about finding work that suits them. In my opinion, this is a healthy evolution away from following pre-set and unsatisfying career paths. Discerning young employees help force employers to create job opportunities that come with desirable work environments and the potential for professional fulfillment.
The message to young workers and workers that are unsatisfied in their jobs is that it is acceptable to try different jobs until you find one that works for you. As long as you can justify your displeasure with the jobs you’ve left when questioned during your next interview, all should be forgiven.
Tags: career change, job hopping, job search, job surfing
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