THE STRATEGIC CASE FOR CHANGING JOBS

The reasons to change your job are numerous and often quite personal. However, from a purely strategic standpoint, there are four excellent reasons to alter jobs in the same or similar field three times during your first ten years of employment.

Reason #1: Moving jobs broadens your experience: After three years, you'll have mastered the vast majority of what you need to know about how to do your task. You'll have also gotten a feel for the company's culture, built up a good network of contacts, and learned how to work with your boss. But if you've been in the same job for too long, you may become complacent and stop learning new things. By contrast, if you move jobs every three years or so, you'll continuously learn new things and expand your skill set.

Reason #2: Being experienced with multiple products, services, and procedures makes you more hirable because employers know they can rely on your skills. Not only are you familiar with your current company's background and culture, but you also bring the knowledge from prior employers that make you even more valuable.

Reason #3: Getting a new job means you're more likely to get promoted quicker than if you stay at your current position. For example, if you're a project engineer, switching jobs could make you a senior project engineer; or change from national sales manager to vice president of sales and marketing.

Reason #4: The more responsibility you have, your earning power becomes greater. A promotion generally comes with a salary increase. It allows you to command a higher salary. Most people who change jobs every three years or so will earn 20-30% more than those who stay in the same job for 10 years. This is because, over time, your skills will become increasingly rare and valuable. And since you're being promoted faster, your salary grows at a quicker pace--similar to compounding the interest on a CD.

Many individuals think of a job change as a method to improve their careers. And in most cases, I'd have to agree. However, you should always make sure your new employment allows you the opportunity to live according to your principles. Selective job changes for the purpose of career leverage have their benefits, but you must be certain that the route you take will lead you where you want to go.

Simply put, getting a raise would only result in you being unhappy at your job to the point of becoming distracted, then there's no use in changing jobs for more money. More often than not, I've discovered that unless an increase in salary would have a noticeable impact on your lifestyle or how you see yourself, money usually isn't a major factor when deciding on a new career path.

To me, the “ideal” employment is one in which your values are fully satisfied. If money is your primary motivation for job satisfaction and advancement, the higher-paying position is the “better” job.