Recently I met with two job seekers. I talked and met with many during one workday, but these two asked me for advice once I determined they did not fit my client.
I want to share their stories with you because it will help you when hiring or someone you are mentoring.
The first one has to do with aimlessness.
When someone does not have a purpose, they go through jobs in a fog—taking any roles that come up and not thinking of how these roles should relate to their careers. In the case of the first job seeker, this amounted to moving from three different jobs as a salesperson to two jobs as an analyst, and finally, now he is an accountant.
He complained to me that the salaries were low in all of these roles. My answer was, of course, they were low! Because he was working in entry-level positions. He needed to stay the course and not change careers to get to the higher salary brackets. He needed to work harder and get promoted.
Since he career-hopped, he always started in entry-level roles with low salaries.
This point, though evident to me, was new to him. However, I had an impact on him.
The following job seeker had a minor problem, but still big enough to cause him distress in his career. He suffered the “Job Hopper Syndrome,” where he would have the itch every year and a half to switch jobs. This went on for a decade. It was strong enough to be very noticeable on his resume.
Most Hiring Managers do not like Job Hoppers, and the effects on the candidate are subtle.
Hiring Managers or recruiters do not call them once they see their LinkedIn profile or resume. Fewer callbacks. These candidates do not even know about the missed opportunities since no one calls to schedule the first call. It does not mean the person is unredeemable and will not find a job. They will find a new role. It will take longer, and the Hiring Manager will always wonder if this person’s itch to job-hop will return.
So what is the lesson from both of these stories?
Perseverance and consistency.
To be more successful in your career and the job market, one has to pick an occupation and an employer and be loyal to them to see the salary increases and advancements they want.
One can always look for another job, but first, do the best you can in the one you have.