Fixed work and for life. If possible with 14 annual payments and holidays in August. This has been the holy grail for years in our society. To achieve this, starting as an apprentice in a company and moving up to the top three decades later was the usual modus operandi. To change to the competition or to look for another job supposed a risky movement from the professional and personal point of view.
A combination of the economic conjuncture and the education that younger workers have received has given rise to a new mentality. Now it is difficult to find a company and workers willing to form a well-matched marriage until the end of their (work) days.
The profile of a mobile, restless professional is gaining space, but at the same time he is capable of taking on challenges in a short time and efficiently. A survey published by the English newspaper The Guardian indicates that 90% of the youth of Generation Y or millennials (born between 1982 and 2004) would not stay more than five years in the same job. One third of the respondents do not intend to keep it for two years.
But does this continuous change of work bring benefits? In the opinion of Nacho Somalo, dean of the Impact Business School of the European University of Madrid, it is highly positive. "Enriches the professional much to carry out tasks of responsibility in different areas," he explains. But it qualifies: "Ojo, changing jobs is not the same as changing companies, you can change jobs within the same company or, on the contrary, change your company and not work". And both modifications are interesting.
Even for businesses, this tendency to mobility may be a requirement. "Today everything varies at a speed of vertigo and companies need new air, so the tendency to perpetuate in a position is negative, even for them," says the economist. The expert assures that it can be advantageous even at the economic level, because the expenses in training are compensated with the greater business performance that is obtained by having in staff a professional inaccessible to boredom.
And you will ask yourself: how often should you change your job? Unfortunately, there is no conclusive answer, since it will depend on the needs and expectations of the individual. Professor Somalo talks about 'exhausting a cycle': "The time to define labor changes depends a lot on the type of work and person, so it is good to talk about cycles and these are not all the same". When a worker perceives that he can not contribute more to the company or that this is the one that no longer enriches him, it is that the time has come. But if you want the opinion of the expert, "the best thing would be between 2 and 5 years to opt for the move [if you have options for it, of course]".
People who opt for this busy work life are known, in the Anglo-Saxon world, as job hoppers (skip jobs). It moves them to acquire new experiences, learn and obtain better salary conditions. For Roberto Esparza, specialist in Attraction and Talent Assignment, this profile becomes a problem if the jumper moves from offer to offer without clear objectives or obtaining benefits. "This supposes a negative rotation for the person and can become a problem in a job interview," he explains.
If you are thinking of changing jobs, Somalo advises not to get carried away by anxiety and honestly analyze the range of options available. Before a job interview, says that it is better to show to the recruiter with transparency, and if it is a job hopper, defend it and show why that data plays in your favor. "It is more important to understand why work has been changed than how often it should be done," the expert concludes.
If you want to have an extensive and colorful and splendid curriculum in experiences, according to the specialists, you should not doubt it, because the thoughtful transformation always adds up. There is no formula, no fixed calendar. That decision, however difficult it may be, you will only know ... and your pillow.