While it was typical for our parents and grandparents to advance their careers with a single employer, today's professionals frequently change jobs in order to advance their careers.
In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics has shown that the average worker in today's workforce stays with one employer for just over four years before moving on to another.
Thus, the following question arises: How long should one stay at a job before leaving for another, and how can one tell when it is time to do so?
Experts generally agree that you should work somewhere for at least two years before leaving. Employers would wish to reduce the large costs associated with employee turnover.
Therefore, they make every effort to control turnover costs by selecting candidates who are more likely to stick with the business for the long term.
And so, if your resume indicates a pattern of transient employment, a prospective employer will likely anticipate that you will act according to prior behavior, and opt instead for a candidate that shows a propensity to lasting longer at a job.
Of course, this rule is not absolute. You shouldn't feel as though you have to endure two years of being confined to a nasty workplace, or pass up your dream career if it becomes available after the first year.
Knowing when to quit a job requires more than simply a sense of time. In other words, simply though you have stayed longer than the required two years, you shouldn't necessarily feel the need for change.
When determining whether or not to make a career change and quit your work, there are numerous factors to take into account.
How this new position or new company can help improve your career and move you one step closer to achieving your goals is one of the most crucial things to ask yourself while thinking about a new employer.
If not, it would be worthwhile to wait until such a position arises before moving on.