There are never better pastures - only other pastures!
Move from one job to another, but only for the right reasons
It's yet another day at office. As I logged on to the marketing and advertising sites for the latest updates, as usual, I found the headlines dominated by 'who's moving from one company to another after a
short stint', and I wondered, why are so many people leaving one job for another? Is it passed now to work with just one company for a sufficiently long period?
Whenever I ask this question to people who leave a company, the answers I get are: "Oh, I am getting a 200% hike in salary"; "Well, I am jumping three levels in my designation"; "Well, they are going to send me
abroad in six months".
Then, I look around at all the people who are considered successful today and who have reached the top - be it a media agency, an advertising agency or a company. I find that most of these people are the ones
who have stuck to the company, ground their heels and worked their way to the top.
And, as I look around for people who changed their jobs constantly, I find they have stagnated at some level , in obscurity!
In this absolutely ruthless, dynamic and competitive environment, there are still no short cuts to success or to making money. The only thing that continues to pay, as earlier, is loyalty and hard work. Yes, it pays! Sometimes, immediately, sometimes after a lot of time. But, it does pay.
Does this mean that one should stick to an organization and wait for that golden moment? Of course not. After a long stint, there always comes a
time for moving in most organizations, but it is important to move for the right reasons, rather than superficial ones, like money, designation or an
overseas trip. Remember, no company recruits for charity.
More often than not, when you are offered an unseemly hike in salary or designation that is disproportionate to what that company offers it current employees, there is always unseen bait attached.
The result? You will, in the long-term, have reached exactly the same levels or maybe lower levels than what you would have in your current company.
A lot of people leave an organization because they are "unhappy". What is this so-called-unhappiness? I have been working for donkey's years and there has never been a day when I am not unhappy about something in my work environment-boss, rude colleague, fussy clients etc.
Unhappiness in a workplace, to a large extent, is transient. If you look hard enough, there is always something to be unhappy about. But, more importantly, do I come to work to be "happy" in the truest sense?
If I think hard, the answer is "No". Happiness is something you find with family, friends, may be a close circle of colleagues who have become friends.
What you come to work for is to earn, build a reputation, satisfy your ambitions, be appreciated for your work ethics, face challenges and get the job done.
So, the next time you are tempted to move, ask yourself why are you moving and what are you moving into?
Some questions are:
* Am I ready and capable of handling the new responsibility? If yes, what could be the possible reasons my current company has not offered me the same responsibility?
* Who are the people who currently handle this responsibility in the current and new company? Am I as good as the best among them?
* As the new job offer has a different profile, why have I not given the current company the option to offer me this profile?
* Why is the new company offering me the job? Do they want me for my skills, or is there an ulterior motive?
An honest answer to these will eventually decide where you go in your career- to the top of the pile in the long term (at the cost of short-term blips) or to become another average employee who gets lost with
time in the wilderness?
"DESERVE BEFORE YOU DESIRE"
- Dr. Gopalkrishnan, Chairman TATA Sons.
From India, Mumbai
Move from one job to another, but only for the right reasons
It's yet another day at office. As I logged on to the marketing and advertising sites for the latest updates, as usual, I found the headlines dominated by 'who's moving from one company to another after a
short stint', and I wondered, why are so many people leaving one job for another? Is it passed now to work with just one company for a sufficiently long period?
Whenever I ask this question to people who leave a company, the answers I get are: "Oh, I am getting a 200% hike in salary"; "Well, I am jumping three levels in my designation"; "Well, they are going to send me
abroad in six months".
Then, I look around at all the people who are considered successful today and who have reached the top - be it a media agency, an advertising agency or a company. I find that most of these people are the ones
who have stuck to the company, ground their heels and worked their way to the top.
And, as I look around for people who changed their jobs constantly, I find they have stagnated at some level , in obscurity!
In this absolutely ruthless, dynamic and competitive environment, there are still no short cuts to success or to making money. The only thing that continues to pay, as earlier, is loyalty and hard work. Yes, it pays! Sometimes, immediately, sometimes after a lot of time. But, it does pay.
Does this mean that one should stick to an organization and wait for that golden moment? Of course not. After a long stint, there always comes a
time for moving in most organizations, but it is important to move for the right reasons, rather than superficial ones, like money, designation or an
overseas trip. Remember, no company recruits for charity.
More often than not, when you are offered an unseemly hike in salary or designation that is disproportionate to what that company offers it current employees, there is always unseen bait attached.
The result? You will, in the long-term, have reached exactly the same levels or maybe lower levels than what you would have in your current company.
A lot of people leave an organization because they are "unhappy". What is this so-called-unhappiness? I have been working for donkey's years and there has never been a day when I am not unhappy about something in my work environment-boss, rude colleague, fussy clients etc.
Unhappiness in a workplace, to a large extent, is transient. If you look hard enough, there is always something to be unhappy about. But, more importantly, do I come to work to be "happy" in the truest sense?
If I think hard, the answer is "No". Happiness is something you find with family, friends, may be a close circle of colleagues who have become friends.
What you come to work for is to earn, build a reputation, satisfy your ambitions, be appreciated for your work ethics, face challenges and get the job done.
So, the next time you are tempted to move, ask yourself why are you moving and what are you moving into?
Some questions are:
* Am I ready and capable of handling the new responsibility? If yes, what could be the possible reasons my current company has not offered me the same responsibility?
* Who are the people who currently handle this responsibility in the current and new company? Am I as good as the best among them?
* As the new job offer has a different profile, why have I not given the current company the option to offer me this profile?
* Why is the new company offering me the job? Do they want me for my skills, or is there an ulterior motive?
An honest answer to these will eventually decide where you go in your career- to the top of the pile in the long term (at the cost of short-term blips) or to become another average employee who gets lost with
time in the wilderness?
"DESERVE BEFORE YOU DESIRE"
- Dr. Gopalkrishnan, Chairman TATA Sons.
From India, Mumbai
Absolutely apt post. There was another post here on whether it is okay to keep hopping jobs. This should be read in conjunction with that.
Anyway, enlightening words for me when I am contemplating to switch from my current job.
Thanks Jensen for the post.
bala
From India, Madras
20Anyway, enlightening words for me when I am contemplating to switch from my current job.
Thanks Jensen for the post.
bala
From India, Madras
hi Jenson n Bala,
This is indeed a very nice post.
the line that really hit me was
"But, more importantly, do I come to work to be "happy" in the truest sense?
If I think hard, the answer is "No". Happiness is something you find with family, friends, may be a close circle of colleagues who have become friends."
this is so true .... n should be kept in mind always.... i had never thought abt this, but yes it is true, now that i think.
but is the talk abt shifting true for someone wanting to leave the particular field he/she is in totaly? as in shud a person stick arnd for sometime before shifting or shud he/she just leave? this is wrt future interviews etc. where one is questioned about reasons for various things done earlier. does a reason like "because i felt that profession was not for me" really sound good or bad?
i am asking that coz of late i do feel this way, i.e. leave this profession totaly, get into a different course n change field.
Regards,
Pallavi
From India, Pune
This is indeed a very nice post.
the line that really hit me was
"But, more importantly, do I come to work to be "happy" in the truest sense?
If I think hard, the answer is "No". Happiness is something you find with family, friends, may be a close circle of colleagues who have become friends."
this is so true .... n should be kept in mind always.... i had never thought abt this, but yes it is true, now that i think.
but is the talk abt shifting true for someone wanting to leave the particular field he/she is in totaly? as in shud a person stick arnd for sometime before shifting or shud he/she just leave? this is wrt future interviews etc. where one is questioned about reasons for various things done earlier. does a reason like "because i felt that profession was not for me" really sound good or bad?
i am asking that coz of late i do feel this way, i.e. leave this profession totaly, get into a different course n change field.
Regards,
Pallavi
From India, Pune
Dear Jen,
It was indeed a good post, but I feel if you are in a Company like the TATAs you will agree and follow the articles. Leaving the compulsive Job Hoppers, I believe in most corporates nowadays the structure is not there for you to stay and Grow, hence the attrition rate is very very high.
Just Think of a HR Department in any normal Company. The opportunity to grow is very less as a proper structured department seldom exist.
But if you are with the Tata's you can plan a long career with rewarding and proper growth in the Group itself.
Regards,
SC
From India, Thane
It was indeed a good post, but I feel if you are in a Company like the TATAs you will agree and follow the articles. Leaving the compulsive Job Hoppers, I believe in most corporates nowadays the structure is not there for you to stay and Grow, hence the attrition rate is very very high.
Just Think of a HR Department in any normal Company. The opportunity to grow is very less as a proper structured department seldom exist.
But if you are with the Tata's you can plan a long career with rewarding and proper growth in the Group itself.
Regards,
SC
From India, Thane
Yes, I agree with SC's idea.
Because each company locates in different level of different industries, the profitability of the companies is different from each other. So is the salary of employee.
And most job shifter will jumpt from small/unknow company to large/renowned corporation, such as TaTa, for pursuing more development and higher salary level.
From China, Beijing
Because each company locates in different level of different industries, the profitability of the companies is different from each other. So is the salary of employee.
And most job shifter will jumpt from small/unknow company to large/renowned corporation, such as TaTa, for pursuing more development and higher salary level.
From China, Beijing
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JOB- HOPPING presentatoion.p pt
An Interesting article.doc