There was a time when you had a job and were given the opportunity to grow internally, get promoted, make more money and keep your life moving forward. Today’s work environment is very different. As doing more with less has become the new normal, we see that entry level and juniors put in hard time and pay dues above and beyond what should be expected. With exception, this is typical of the work environments today. However, you should keep in mind that paying your dues is an experience not something that has no meaning and seems pointless.
There was a time when a resume exhibiting short runs and frequent moves were a bad sign. We called them ‘jumpers’. They were indicative, again, with exception, of people that couldn’t hold a job, had ‘issues’ and were considered a red flag.
However, today that has really changed.
Young people take entry-level gigs because they need to get the first land and get their professional life moving. You are building some brand equity at company ‘X’ and hope in a short time, they will either recognize you for your ability, move you vertically or they will ignore your effort and just keep you right where you are. The mindset is, if you leave – we can and will replace you. Someone is always lurking about looking for a job.
So, what do you do? You are and have been paying your dues. You have talked to others like yourself and they inform you – this is the way this company flies.
But, you have your sights set in a different direction that doesn’t align with this model and you have no choice but to move on. And, you need/want to make more money.
The only possibility of moving up is to move out. Today, we see many resumes that have the short runs and it’s no longer a red flag. In fact, it might suggest someone that is really hungry and ambitious.
Be prepared to discuss this if you are the one on the hunt for jobs and demonstrated, what I call
CF – Career Frequency. It will come up and you need to present an answer that makes perfect sense. Never diss the previous company, but explain how you really enjoyed the learning experience, the people that you worked with, the feeling of teamwork, the collaborative environment and how much you enjoyed the opportunity to get started.
And then add how it became apparent that, for me – “I needed more and felt it was time to move on”.
Now I am prepared and ready to take on more responsibility and hopefully challenge myself to explore, experience and educate. And this is the place I’d like to do it.
Keep an open mind as you consider the move out in order to move up. It’s all part of the process and definitely not pointless, as there is always something to be gained.