MENLO PARK, Calif. – For the youngest generation of workers, moving from job to job is losing its bad reputation, a new survey from the Accountemps staffing firm suggests.
According to the survey, 57% of employees between the ages of 18 and 34 said changing jobs every few years might help their careers. That compares to 38% of professionals between the ages of 35 and 54 and just 22% of those age 55 and older who said they might benefit from job hopping.
An independent research firm conducted the survey, developed by Accountemps. It includes responses from 324 employees 18 years of age and older who work in an office.
Workers were asked, "Do you think job hopping (leaving your current employer for a new job every few years) can benefit your career?" Overall, 42% responded “yes” and 58% said “no.”
Responses also differed based on the person’s sex. Of the men surveyed, 47% said they would benefit from job hopping while 53% said they wouldn’t. For women, 37% said their careers would benefit while 63% said they wouldn’t.
Among the benefits survey respondents cited were earning higher compensation, gaining new skills, moving faster up the corporate ladder, experiencing a new corporate culture and having more than one employer on a resume.
"Conventional wisdom about the perils of job hopping has begun to shift, but professionals still need to look carefully before they leap," said Bill Driscoll, a district president with Accountemps, in a prepared statement. "Changing jobs every three to four years is one thing; more frequent moves could indicate the inability to dig into a role and put employers on guard."
He also advised professionals considering job moves to keep in mind not only salary but “where they will have the greatest opportunity to build skills and advance their careers."
Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
CLICK HERE to subscribe to our twice-monthly print edition and to our free daily email headlines.