EMPLOYMENT
Is staying too long at one job hurting you?
Twenty years ago eyebrows were raised when anyone changed jobs more than twice in a career. And it has only been since the early 90's when anyone who left a job with less than a four year tenure was considered a "job-hopper." In the bankcard industry today, like a lot of industries in America, the average person remains in a job approximately 34 months.
These days, employers are less inclined to pay attention to tenure than ever before. You need only look at the old dot-com effect and you can see why.
Since 2000, changing jobs has become somewhat challenging; the dot-com bomb combined with the retreat in technology spending and of course "the Great Recession", released a ton of talent and resulted in a lot of job cuts. Once dominant and successful industries have been shrinking rather than growing, and start-ups are having a hard time finding capital. Perhaps to a bit of a lesser extent, yet still affected is the bankcard industry.
But suppose you're happy, or at least you aren't unhappy with your job. Should you stay or look around?
Here are some good reasons to keep your options open and consider a job change:
Staying "too long" can:
- Reduce your earning potential.
- Put you in a "cubbyhole."
- Identify you with a single industry segment.
- Make transitions more difficult down the road.
- Keep you in a career rut.
Obviously, the decision to make a job change should be carefully considered.
Here are a few more things to keep in mind as you contemplate career transitions:
- Set realistic three and five year career goals.
- Don't run to another job just to leave the one you're at; go to a new job because you are attracted to it. That has to come out during your interviews. The prospective employer must sense that you understand their problems and can solve them. Career moves should be planned and not just random happenings, knowing that even with such planning, no one can plan for or always predict a "down-sizing".
- What would my ideal job look like? Write down all the things you'd like in a job (be sure you include personal goals). Remember, this is the "ideal" and not necessarily what you're going to get.
Constantly work at attaining the job that is closest to your "ideal job."
Update your resume every year. On top of having a current resume in case a new opportunity comes up, it will be a worthwhile exercise. If you're not able to add any additional accomplishments to your resume, or if you're off track from the goals you've set for yourself, it's probably time to proactively enter yourself in the job market. Ask yourself what other functions do you need to add to your resume to get you where you want to go?
When faced with a potential new position, ask yourself questions like:
- Is the job or company I'm in currently going to get me closer to my goals?
- Is the job or company I'm considering going to get me there sooner?
- Does the new opportunity closely match my "ideal job?"
- Do any anticipated "trade-offs" still balance with my personal and professional goals?
Once all these factors are weighed, you may find out that it is indeed time for a move.
One thing item of caution, however, is today's economy. In a good economy jobs are bountiful and companies spend money on expansion. In today's challenged economy, many companies are in a holding pattern and spend less on new talent. Instead they do with what they have. So keep this in mind. Even still, since the bankcard industry is relatively specialized and many employers want to hire talent with industry experience, you will still see a good amount of job openings in our field. Just take a second to search jobs on Cardgigs. It recently was launched (soft-launch) and jobs have been listed by various companies, from all parts of the U.S. So it's ok to look around and consider a move if you feel like your current position has run its course and the time has come for an upgrade.
Source: Exec-Links.com