Gone are the days when one has to hold on to a position or organisation for 20 years, became too much 5 years? Need not be. Its time when rolling stone gathers no moss no more holds good esp when one is looking at a Career Management, if not in some but is true for most jobs and roles.

Yes It’s a time to learn , unlearn, learn and move on.

All of you must be wondering why am propagating so much on this, well that’s the truth as many of you know. As a HR Professional when I used to select or reject a Candidate Job Hopping and the stint in the organization was one of the major reason which I always stressed upon apart from other criteria. But today its no more, at least the importance that is attached to this has definitely lessened Though minimum stint in a role as per accepted industry standards is followed.

My suggestion to all future aspirants will be to follow the norms but carve your path.

It all depends on ones learning cycle and how quickly and how much you are able to contribute to organization you work for. ‘’As long as you are able to Prove the Future employer that you have remained in last organization for one year but have been able to give the organization a return which is 10 times of the salary that they paid you in a year is worth the jump to the next one within or outside.’’ This leads me to a very interesting topic which is so much required in our day to day affairs is Negotiation. Now while doing the above its in a way you are proving through negotiation that why you are still the best, why you should get hired for the job given your background, strengths and duration in earlier role(s). Suggest do Role-play with your friends and your contacts. Practice asking for a slightly higher salary with a partner who doesn’t give in easily. Practice asking for a role change. Do it over and over taking different situations.

There are professional Consultants who take MOCK Interviews and give Feedbacks, There are HR Consultants who also Coach people on Interviews and guide people on Interview cues and how to conduct oneself professionally and take through ones background. Sometimes people don’t know how to position themselves in an interview and before interviewers even if they have a strength not able to sell. Seek help of such consultants above for guidance. Now lets go to the Offer stage. What do you do when you get an offer? What makes you happy about the offer? What displeases you? How would you like to see it changed?  Either its is the Compensation, or Leave benefit or Vacation time or Bonus or the Work life Balance or it can be any aspect of the Stack or outside it about the job like How is your Job seen within the Company and its goals, does it have a strong alignment? How is your immediate supervisor? What is his work style? Can you adjust! Get some data and views on same, now a days all have a social profile, get there and search.

Having said all this you must not forget to follow your instincts.  

Undoubtedly need of the hour is to remain professional weigh your Options and each aspect of the job, think about the future potential of the position, company, and the industry. In fact Industry should be one of the first criteria and stage of the job search process.
The moment you feel that what is being offered in on a lower side of industry average turn down the Offer. Consult a professional who you can trust, take help of Career Consultants or a Career Coach. It’s well worth your effort to ensure you move ahead wisely and appropriately. Evaluate from all aspects of the job.

I want to reinforce on the fact that Career is always succession of jobs which is true always. Even if one stays in same organization job changes within the organization in the form of different roles, regions or  verticals. Your role gets enhanced or enriched or being rotated. The skills that you develop may help you to change from our department or other, one area of expertise to other. Always remember, your own organization has plethora of opportunities and holds the key to that step you may wanting to take as part of your career. I have seen it all by myself and with many of colleagues who have done it so well and have carved a place for themselves. There is this gentleman I know who in every one and half years makes it a point to move within the organization and am sure he does a good research, networks, builds on his knowledge and skill repository for next role even though at a 30-40% level and chooses the next role which is aligned to his strengths.

So for this it is your onus to know your organization well. It helps knowing your Organizations Operations, subsidiaries, departments, different work areas, roles in departments, Organizations clients, its vendors, organization’s pain areas. Knowledge of all these opens the gate for you; for you never know that when there is a role you will be seen as a the best fit for same.  Compete with yourself – to know more, more every time in every situation.