This is how the story goes—according to public consensus—if you want a raise, then you’ve got to be prepared to switch jobs. Loyalty be-damned.

The concept is that if your employer isn’t devoted to you, then why should you be either? Brutal but understandable.

Yes, changing employers or ‘job hopping’ has become part and parcel of working life and, until recently, the key to getting a big raise.

In fact, it's estimated that an average Australian will have 13 jobs until retirement.

Short term, you get a new job, a higher wage, and a sense of getting away from your old one. After all, they say, ‘change is as good as a holiday’.

But have you ever considered the long-term effects of job hopping? They exist, and they’re *definitely* worth considering before you leap.

In this blog, we will ditch the positive and shed light on the negative effects of job hopping nobody told you about.

How common is job hopping today?

While macroeconomic changes may be depressing business confidence since the pandemic, worker confidence in the labour market remains sturdy—for now.

Research conducted by Robert Half found that 44% of employees are actively looking for a new role in the second half of 2022, while 33% are not on the hunt but will consider a new position if presented with a decent enough opportunity.

A higher wage is among the most blinding things job hopping could offer. But it can also harm your professional career.

How so? Here are the five negative effects of job hunting that nobody talks about:

You'll have trouble sustaining your career trajectory.

If you've had a few different jobs in the last few years, and each one has been more challenging than the last, then your resume will look great on paper but won't actually show how much progress you've made in your career—and that's important when it comes time for promotions and raises.

You'll have difficulty finding employment.

Recruiters and hiring managers frequently review your employment history and form pre-judgments about them based on how long you held a previous role. This is significant since recruiting supervisors could be too busy to inquire about your reasons for quitting. Instead, they'll assume you have trouble keeping a steady position and question your loyalty.

You'll lose your network.

With connectivity at an all-time level, networking is essential to building your brand or advancing your career. If you're bouncing between jobs and departments, it will be hard to build relationships with people who would be helpful later on. The most important thing about networking is maintaining relationships with people who can help you succeed—and without a strong network, it's hard to do that!

You'll need to prove your value all over again.

Back at ground zero, you must persuade a new set of co-workers that you are as competent as you claim to be in a new workplace with a new work environment and work culture.

You'll put yourself at higher risk for burnout.

Constantly jumping from one role to another can be mentally and physically draining. The uncertainty that comes with changing jobs can also affect your emotional health. Before you even realise it, you're already losing passion for your career.

Can staying long in a company hurt your career too?

If you're someone who is always looking for the next big opportunity, it can be tough to find a job that allows you to grow and thrive. But on the flip side, if you stay in one position for too long, it can also wreak havoc on your professional growth.

If you stay in one position for too long, you may find that your current company starts to treat you like an outsider—and if they don't give you the opportunities or resources that you need, then you'll probably start to feel like an outsider yourself.

Bottomline

Job hopping is great for your résumé and opportunities for your career in the short term. However, if you start getting noticed as a job hopper, that's not so great for your future prospects.

Keep in mind that hiring managers are most wary about making a bad hire. The stereotype of being a job hopper will most likely affect your chances of landing a job or an interview.

So what do you do to counter the job hopper label? Find out on my next blog.