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Quique Fdez Guerra
Quique Fdez Guerra

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Job hoppers generation - F&L #3

The only way to get a better salary is to change companies! That's it, I've said it, we've got it out of the way, now that we've done it, could you accompany me and internalize the concept of job hoppers?

It's been about 3-4 years since I discovered this concept of "job hoppers" and like any concept on the internet, there are many people in favor and many others against it. What is clear and are statistical data is that young people are increasingly inclined to change jobs. You invest one to two years in a company and then make the leap.

There are many reasons to make that leap, salary, change of role, boredom with the current position, bad managers, etc.

If one thing is certain, it is that our generation is less and less willing to be in a job just for the job and looks for a good place to be, to be recognized and to have a salary in line with their expectations. And is that realistic? Can I have all that in one job?

The truth is that it depends. As I write these lines, I am about to complete 8 years in my same company, a company that I entered with the lowest salary and that I gradually climbed in roles and money. If instead of being 8 years in this company I had been jumping, would I earn more? Probably yes, but I probably wouldn't have worked with the clients I have worked with, I could have delved into different roles and above all, I don't know how they would have tolerated all the mistakes I make every day in those other companies.

The problem with this is that it is very uncertain, I could change jobs tomorrow and discover that the new place is even better, or not. Or it doesn't matter, because in the end a job is like the search for a soul mate, it's not a magical connection company-employee, it's the day-to-day work of all employees in a company and the effort they make to make it a better place for everyone.

As in any relationship, there are many failures on both sides. I don't want to think about how many times I have felt that my job was very improvable or how many times I have felt that a decision someone made disappointed me. It's in those moments that you can end the relationship and look for another company "there are plenty of fish in the sea" or you can decide to work to help improve and bring visibility to the problems you see.

What is clear is that the second path is much longer and tedious and that, as in any relationship, it may be that no matter how much you put in, the other side doesn't put in any effort.

In my experience, every failure, every disappointment, and every mistake has been worth it to be who I am today and to see that the company I work for has come as far as it has. I still remember when I was the fifth employee in Barcelona, the 170th in the company, and today we are more than 500 employees and more than 800 will have passed these years. The company I entered is nothing like the company it is today and nor will it be in the future.

But returning to the topic, what about job hoppers? Is it okay? Is it wrong? If you see that a relationship can't improve for either side, run away from that company whether you've been there for a month, half a year, or two years. But if you have little experience in the technology world, if you're on a team that more or less works, if the company believes in your potential and is more or less capable of demonstrating it, I think it's a good decision to not jump to another company just to earn more money (as long as your needs and those of your family are covered).

If you are restless and what you do is not enough, let your managers know, look for internal change opportunities, interact with other teams or in other roles. It is very difficult to find a decent company, if you find one, don't break this relationship just because someone else promises you more money or a better role. Try to improve where you are and if in the end it's not possible, go ahead, JUMP!

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