Are US workers really satisfied or just happy to have a job again?
I am going to go with the latter…
Since the financial crisis of 2008, I have seen very interesting changes with people’s attitudes towards jobs, working, and money.
It is fantastic to see so many more people saying they are satisfied with their job/wages/people they work with, etc… but here’s the thing I see.
➖➖Job Hoppers. ➖➖
No, that is not a bad word.
But it is what I see day in and day out now.
When I started writing resumes back in 2005, I saw individuals with company loyalty that had kept jobs 10+ yrs.. but since 2008 it’s been a roller coaster of attitudes to jobs that has surprised me the most.
At first, people were clinging to the fact that they deserved more and didn’t think they should work harder for it. It was a staggering amount of clients that I coached that I really had to push to say- just get out there and snatch up a job and work your way up. I was astonished.
Now, people aren’t afraid and I love that. They are ready to just go out and apply to whatever and take whatever job they can get and put some elbow grease into making their career what they want.
But with that – comes job hopping. Again, that isn’t a bad word all in all, but I fear with how often people do it now, 1 yr – 18 months at each job… for now I don’t think it is an issue at all and I don’t think for the most part recruiters/companies are concerned.
Job Hopping is on the rise. Is the current Job Satisfaction rate career suicide for the future? I don’t know. A little bit of career switching, and job hopping may be good for your piggy bank and confidence, but how much is too much of a good thing?
- Could you hit a plateau for how much you are worth?
- Could you be seen by a company as unstable?
- Could job hopping tank job satisfaction in the near future?
#thingsthatmakeyounotsleepatnight
I’d be worried about the future. My advice to my clients who have overcome the 2008 financial crisis and job scarcity and have been happily employed the past 10 years is to take your job hopping path and all the time you spent ‘exploring’ your passions and learn to harness it to show you are a stable candidate for a job and start figuring out where you would like to settle down and get in with that company/position and make a name for yourself.
By stabilizing your own career and setting down roots, you become that perfect, seasoned and established candidate that recruiters will flock to.
I know several articles, that have shown the happiness charts in comparison to salary earned, but I honestly think this advice of showing you are ready to stick with a job/career type will be beneficial for anyone across the wage board and in any industry.
So the question remains, what can you do to keep being a part of the Job Satisfaction group while ensuring you don’t fall into a job hopping trap?
Be Transformational
Nah, I’m not talking butterfly stuff here… I’m talking about showing on your resume and cover letter the things that bring out how changing jobs so often during X period of your career has helped you transform and grow into an exceptional candidate for them and you feel you have reached that ultimate point where you can help their company benefit from your knowledge.
Formatting
For some reason, job seekers have this habit of putting exact start and end dates on resumes and want to bring that up. Do yourself a favor and learn how to leave off months when it is truly a short period- like 5 -7 months. Now, I’m not suggesting you lie about time worked at a job- but show year to year when it is anything less than 12 months+ in time. Let’s not worry about the nitty gritty Dec 2017- April 2018…. Let’s focus on the big picture of 2017-2018. Employers will ask- and that is fine—let’s get you into an interview because at the end of the day- what month you started and ended is not going to play a big part when you are sitting there with them and showing them your accomplishments in that short of time.
Summary Not Objective
If I’ve said it once I’ve said it a thousand times. Do not use an objective! ‘Hello, 1993 calling.’ Summaries- and more accurately, executive summaries on resumes are the bomb. Now, with job hoppers you can really benefit from this area by giving a strong overview of your path and all of the amazing things you have achieved. How many years as an expert in this field, how many projects worked on over the past X yrs. Think achievement-based summary and you will fly.
Cover Letter
Ok- this is your time to fess up. Seriously. Your resume may be rocking… but let’s put it out in the open here to recruiters and interviews. You are a job hopper. Sometimes its been on purpose- sometimes involuntary. But the fact is we don’t want to hide it. Bring it out in the cover letter and show that you are done with that and ready to rock and roll with this company.
Job satisfaction is no doubt a wonderful thing… How you make contributions to your career is also nirvana. I know sometimes bosses can irk you (that is a major complaint I hear) and I know that sometimes you feel like you deserve more or didn’t get recognized for your contributions, but at the end of the day roll with it.
Be a doer and achiever not a complainer.
By focusing on the positive, your personal satisfaction will go through the roof, stress will melt away and guess what – when you are truly happy and can focus on your career and not worry about those around you- you will propel yourself in your job; and that my friends will boost that job satisfaction even more! You will be noticed by senior management and your team. Trust me.
Amanda
⭐️Your Girl for Everything Resume & Career!
✔️ Looking for a job and need a Free Resume Review? Just ask!!
