Started a new gig about a year ago, it's my fourth role in the industry. Performance is going well but I'm unhappy with the location and culture and already thinking of next moves. However, I'm 30 years old and don't want to be seen as a job hopper. A mentor/friend told me not to worry about it, life is too short to stay stuck in something that makes you unhappy.
Any consensus on this?
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Anecdotally, I'm 27 and at my third firm in ~5 years.
- First transition - moved to new york
- Second transition - once in new york, was recruited by a stronger company with better comp/responsibilities
I've never had anyone comment or ask about why I didn't stay longer at the prior two firms. The moves are self-explanatory. Only boomers care about job hopping, it's quite common for millennials and gen z these days. Plus you said it yourself, life is too short to stay stuck in something that makes you unhappy.
I think you're fine but it wouldn't hurt to see a longer stint at your next opportunity
While I understand your friend's point, I guarantee you during every single resume review someone notices you've moved around a bit. I have as well - Just learn to sell it. If most of the moves come with promotion/upward mobility, it's a fairly easy sell. The younger generations have been known to move around a bit more and that's fine, but I think the older we get the more of a premium hiring teams will be putting on longevity as the roles you're interviewing for will become more executive and are obviously more critical hires. It hurts more when a VP leaves after 12 months than an analyst
Just like art, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.buts really going to come down to the belief on this topic of your interviewer. If they believe life is too short and can relate...then they likely will be open to this. If they are old school and rigid...they aren’t going to give you the time.
You are averaging 2 years per job. Most will view you as a flight risk. My recommendation would be to really think about what you want for your career and in the meantime learn as much as you can in your current role. Make a plan for action towards your goal and realize that the starts are likely not going to align, but take your best shot at it.
I love what I do in my current role just hate the location. Perhaps I should explore working out some sort of remote role with the company.
As long as you are moving up in terms of responsibilities, nobody cares.
So how moving around jobs frequently will get viewed a huge “it depends” and is it bad deserves a “maybe”, it’s all very context dependent… so a few kinda random points:
- COVID probably gives everyone a “mulligan” for moves around that time (which kinda sounds like your timeline, whether it impacted or was a factor or not). And in general we all have the right to take a job “mulligan” and jump soon if its not what was expected (I’d say a role/stint of less than 2 years not impacted by like firm BK or whatever fits this description). The key how often you do them right? Take too many too frequently…. And your a shitty golfer… occasionally and you are perfectly normal. So, yes, I think your fear of this is legit, but that in and of itself is not why or why not to look for a new job. In fairness, HR types (and mngrs who have been burned), could easily “ding” your application for hopping around too much (I know HR people at my firm would say stuff like that), thus doing a slow/stealth hunt via network and close connections may be ideal.
- Not all “jumps” are equal…. If you are moving for a clear promotion in title/role/firm, etc. then it just makes “sense”. Like if the interviewer looks at the resume and sees obvious progress then should not be viewed badly (like they say “well I would have done the same”, or “wow what lucky breaks”). The more you can frame past jumps into this type, the better. Lateral, or even backwards, jumps are the type that raise concerns, not upward ones. This also goes to the best strategy for next job… only looking/applying for ones that are true upwards, laterals will be much harder with a history of laterals (I.e. well this person just hops…. Could be a concern).
- Moves for personal reasons can be explained and thus not an issue. Like spouse got job in XYZ city, had to get new one, or stuff like that. You can explain that in cover letter, or during interview (if you get one), and generally not an issue. If you are hopping cities all the time… I guess could be a problem, but really, these that are clear personal usually get forgiven and not an issue.
- The “moves” that get dinged, are those that come from people who seem overly “whiny” or “entitled” or just willing to move to any small gain in $$$. To be fair, the OP’s set of the question kinda points to this type if I’m being honest (the location part is unclear… like city? Part of town? Or just a shitty office space?). So, in this case, the OP better make one hell of a good response to the “why do you want to leave XYZ so soon?” Questions, which will be coming for sure. And if they are not asked, one better address up front, because interviewers will be thinking of it (best to get motivations for next job stated in the cover letters/emails to get conversation framed in right way).
Final point, unrelated to direct question of getting new job, or staying in one that is not making you happy…
- jumping too fast can harm your own career. I see OP is posting as an anon VP, so that implies mid-level rank/title, and before 30 implies a fairly normal “on-track” type progression, so this point may not mean much to OP, but I feel needed to leave for the “junior” types reading this. Jumping for laterals CAN (in the most “maybe” sense of it) delay promotion and progress, hence why I really only recommend jumping for clear upward moves. I think this is most dangerous at the analyst/associate levels, as getting delayed on getting to the VP/Manager can literally cost “years” in worst cases. Put another way… think twice before “repeating” an analyst stint, better to hold out for a promotion (at current firm or with new one) in most situations.
These are very interesting points especially on COVID giving everyone a mulligan. To your point on promotions: every one of my career switches so far has been for a promotion / more responsibility (analyst -> associate -> VP) except for one which was moving asset types/strategies (brokerage -> acquisitions). To elaborate on the two main reasons why I am even considering another move: (1) the location is in a suburb I thought I would enjoy, but I absolutely hate it. I'm single and very social, and meeting a broker, LP who is in town, colleague, or date for lunch, happy hour, dinner, etc. is a complete pain in the ass. I can totally see how this sounds "entitled" or "whiny" but it's a big part of my life that blends with my professional life. What helped me succeed at my old firm was actually being friends with a lot of the people I worked with externally. This is a relationship business. It's near impossible to do that here since our office is an hour+ from any urban center, and my company doesn't seem to care because they are old school and they don't see the value in those kind of relationships or social engagements ("brokers should be working for us, not the other way around"). Which leads me to the second point (2) the culture. It's a small firm and I am just not clicking with these guys. It's not that we don't get along I think we just view the world and industry differently, which can lead to butting heads sometimes. Perhaps the solution is some sort of remote work arrangement.
I think the desire to get back to the city can be viewed as part of a "COVID mulligan", so no reason not lead with that as a personal justification. That said, I know many people who live in NYC and reverse commute to the suburbs for work (not sure if you are NYC or elsewhere), it's more doable than you may realize especially if your firm is cool with some "remote city" days.
So, should you look for new job? Maybe... Should you try and improve your living condition.. absolutely... move back to the central city and figure it out. Maybe the reverse commute won't be so bad. On the upside if living where you want to work, easier to bump into people you can network with and thus make the job move happen!
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