How often should you swap job?

Submitted by Nicola Worsley on Sun, 20/06/2010 - 15:47

I've heard it said before that if you want to advance your career that you should move companies rather than hope to advance internally.

Is this true and if so how often should you swap?

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Submitted by on Mon, 21/06/2010 - 16:03

I don't think it should be the case, but in many instances it probably is. I guess with regards to the ratio, you don't want to come across as a job hopper so maybe every 3-4 years is a good timescale.

Submitted by Paul Johnson on Mon, 21/06/2010 - 16:08 Profile image

I'm not sure I necessarily agree. There will be situations where that is the case, but plenty of others where the contrary is true.

Paul

Submitted by Phil Cole MCMI on Sun, 19/12/2010 - 17:45

In my opinion you should look to swap jobs whenever you feel that you have gained/achieved the majority of what you can from your present company and after asking for additional responsibilities have not got very far.

As an example, in the current company I work for (a top 5 global brewery) the majority of the middle managers/senior executives have worked for several companies both within and separate to the drinks industry. It is somewhat expected that if you want to progress you should gain some experience of working for a competitor to understand their ways of working etc.

However, I think there is a lot to be gained from side-ways moves, e.g. trying a different role within a different department within the same company. This allows you to remain within your company whilst gaining experience of different ways of operating and is very much encouraged where I work if you want to progress as it gives you the chance to work on your line management skills etc.

Submitted by Karen Wallis on Wed, 22/12/2010 - 15:45

I've been at the same company for 8 years and have progressed and been promoted every couple of years. There's a lot to be said for loyalty to a company and being rewarded with internal progression. For me personally, it's given me insight into the different levels of the organisation, having started in the most junior position to my current role as a senior manager.

I've oftern wondered whether it could hurt my cv that I've stayed with one company for so long but I think as long as you're constantly progressing and being challenged, and most importantly, enjoying what you do, then that's the main thing.

Submitted by Jim Vasey CMgr MCMI on Wed, 22/12/2010 - 16:38 Profile image

I think the main issue here is the kind of experience you have gained and the level of responsibility you have. This is just as valuable when it has been gained by working in different parts of the same organisation as in a number of different organisations. The only real advantage the latter gives you is (possibly) experience in different industry types / market sectors, private and public sector, etc, which may or may not be helpful when applying for another post, internally or externally.

Moving within the same organisation offers certain advantages to you over external applicants. Firstly, you know the organisation and its ethos, how things work, etc. Secondly, you are a known quantity, particularly if you have a good track record in terms of, eg, managing projects to a successful conclusion. Thirdly, and this I feel is a much bigger issue in today's financial climate than ever before, is the issue of accrued benefits such as paid sick leave, pension entitlement, etc, which tend to be better for longer-serving employees.

But at the end of the day, it really comes down to whether you feel you and the ornganisation still feel you have something to offer each other.

Submitted by Donald Davies CMgr FCMI MIC on Thu, 23/12/2010 - 08:42 Profile image

I think it depends on your game plan. What are your motives and what drives you forward?

If you think of each job change as an iteration which continues to evolve towards your overall direction, you may find as you experience new roles that your path shifts (I would be surprised if it did not).

This may mean that you re-evaluate your new current state and consider then where you want to go next.

If you feel that you can stay where you are and still meet your goals, then great. If you feel you need to move elsewhere to meet your goals, great.

There are no rules, your action and interaction with others will re-shape you as a person, this will affect how you move forward.

Submitted by Mohammad Alam on Sat, 01/01/2011 - 21:36

I am agree with Phil Cole 1st paragraph but unfortunately I couldn't agree with last paragraph where you said side-ways moves as often when you do side ways-moves you won't be financially rewarded.

This could be another way to motivate people to get out more work by showing the side ways-moves dream...what as a manager probably I do.......

Submitted by Matt Chapman on Sun, 02/01/2011 - 17:43

You have to believe in your own abilities, and whilst it would be ideal if these were valued where you are, often they're not and companies lack a clear career progression plan for talented individuals.

Submitted by Peter Elliott CMgr MCMI on Wed, 19/01/2011 - 18:31 Profile image

Basically do what makes you happy and what's best for you!

If you are happy & content in a role that challenges you then why change? However, if you wake up every morning with a mortal dread of going into work then perhaps it's time to change........

I was with my last company for close on 14 years during which time I progressed from a trainee bridge engineer through to engineer, senior engineer, to my current project manager position. In this time I have worked in Norfolk, Ireland (4.5yrs) and West Sussex gaining considerable experience while also achieving an MBA (paid for by the company).

Personal family issues were the only reason I left and, even then, only because my company lost the local contract I had been working on and I was unable to travel/relocate to any of their other offices because I needed to remain close to my parents.

I personally think I would be unlikely to have achieved what I have had I moved from company to company over the same period.

Submitted by Christopher-Lee Lovell MCMI on Sun, 26/06/2011 - 20:20 Profile image

It's a difficult question to answer. To a certain extent it depends on which industry you are aiming to work in and also the cultural attitude to job changes. When I moved to Germany they didn't view my last two jobs very positively as both had been just under a year - and ignored the fact that I had held down two full-time jobs at different points during my studies lasting for a year each. In the creative industries frequent employer changes are not viewed as negatively.

My biggest issue is working in a job that no longer challenges me - in simple terms my brain needs to be constantly challeneged else it switches off and I stagnate. This results in my employer not getting as much out of me that they could be. I wasn't afraid to put this to my current employer in my last review - they are paying good money for me so should expect good results. But with doing the same thing with almost nothing new in the year up to the review, I didn't feel they were getting all they could.

This plain talking worked and things were starting to go somewhere, then family issues meant that I had to decide to return to the UK which I will do so in August. I have applied to the UK offices of my employer and am awaiting the outcome. If I do have to leave because they decide the transfer won't work, then at least I will have a clean conscience that I did my very best to stay with the company.

Submitted by Siegfried Koch on Tue, 05/07/2011 - 16:28 Profile image