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Why Changing Jobs Often Can Actually Be a Good Thing

Student Work
by Stacy Ullenes Nov 12, 2014

Job longevity is a thing of the past. You are no longer expected to work 30-40 years in the same company, in the same career, whittling away at life until that moment when you can finally collect your gold watch, pension, and slippers.

Today, the internet is at our finger tips and massive numbers of job opportunities all over the globe are free to explore at the click of a button. We don’t want to settle. We know there’s a world out there to dive into; we want to live to work, and we know we deserve to be happy.

But can constantly changing jobs while on the journey of exploration and personal happiness be career suicide? I don’t think so.

I’ve had a mind-boggling amount of jobs in my 33 years. Every job I’ve ever had has always set me up with a better set of skills for the next role. I’m always learning, expanding my networks, gaining confidence, and increasing my flexibility. Changing and constantly learning keeps me motivated. It also helps me to figure out what I actually like doing, what I’m passionate about. This makes me work harder, giving me a sense of purpose and satisfaction, and many employers (the ones that you want to work for, at least) see that.

Employers these days are more open-minded in their employee choices. They are looking for employees who are going to bring a fresh set of skills to their company and a different outlook on how to get the job done, who will be passionate about what they’re doing, and who can inject enthusiasm into their new role.

Every new day is another chance to change your life.

So many of us quietly resist change and half-heartedly convince ourselves that it is somehow easier to stay confined within our comfort zones. But making small changes to your job and your life can bring about so many incredible, unforeseen opportunities. Change in general is inevitable. It will happen whether you embrace it or not. If you are the one to initiate the change, you are more likely to go with it and learn from each experience. Don’t be a victim, be a conscious creator of the kind of life you want to live.

Sometimes a break from your routine is the very thing you need.

Have you seen the movie Groundhog Day? No one wants to live perpetually like that. Routine can
be monotonous, making us feel stagnant, unhappy, and unmotivated. Changing jobs and careers forces you out of your normal daily routine and onto something new and refreshing, sparking renewed motivation.

Constantly making unexpected new friends is never bad.

With each career change you make, you make new friends and begin to widen your network in your field of expertise. As the saying goes, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” If you are continually expanding your horizons and your network of friends and colleagues, you never know where it could eventually lead with new opportunities.

‘Trying on’ different jobs will help you to figure out what you are passionate about.

If you stay in one job your whole life, how do you know what you’re really passionate about? Chances are you stick to the same old humdrum job because you think you have to or because you don’t know what else to do. Well, how about changing things up dramatically to figure out what you DO want? “Nothing ventured, nothing gained.” When you finally find a job you are truly passionate about, you’re going to work hard and bring more to your role and your company.

“Learning is the only thing the mind never exhausts, never fears, and never regrets.” — Leonardo Da Vinci

Always learning is never going to be a bad thing. When you change jobs, you’re going to be learning a new way of working, a new system, new skills. Employers are more likely to look fondly on someone who is always willing to step forward with enthusiasm to expand their skill set.

Confidence is like a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it gets.

Changing new careers brings confidence. You become more flexible, open-minded, and adaptable. You learn to appreciate diversity and understand different cultural experiences with each new role. Your confidence will continuously develop and you will always be growing as a person, setting yourself up to be even more capable in the next exciting role.

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