Bouncing - Before You Leave Your Current Job

Regardless of industry or title at a current company, the biggest factor that lowers one's value on the job market is the frequency that the particular person switched past jobs. The act of doing this is commonly referred to in a negative connotation via a simplistic, but powerful word - "bouncing." Avoiding the act of "bouncing," as somebody who has a promising career ahead of them, has to seriously consider before moving companies.

Below, you will find some explanations as to what "bouncing" is, some ramifications of doing so, some loopholes in the rule as well as a few solid arguments for staying at a current job regardless of the compensation situation.

What Constitutes Bouncing?

Bouncing is considered when one goes from job to job, thus never truly having employment stability that they can show on their resume. A continual job change that reflects that you stayed at your former employers' companies under two years (3 is preferred) is the definition of "bouncing." Think of your current employment as a fine wine. The older, the better.

When Should One Bounce?

Just like any other rule in life, there are some exceptions to the "bouncing" rule. However, these rules should not be taken lightly as many use them for justification when the validation for leaving their job is not present. The exceptions include, but are not limited to:

1. If a very stable, reputable and well-known company is actively (again do not use the word "actively" lightly) pursuing you and offering you over 25% on your paycheck. However, before you bounce in this situation, negotiate with your current employer. Always keep in mind that the golden rule is to stay at a company for the longest time period that is possible.

2. If, despite stellar performance that you can prove on your resume, you are not being properly compensated. Again, nobody ever thinks that they are being properly compensated. However, upon interviewing with other companies in the near future, you must be able to back this theory up in a succinct, compelling and convincing manner. Otherwise, you're going to reap the ramifications explained below.

What Are the Ramifications of Bouncing From Job to Job?

The ramifications of bouncing from job to job can be devastating to one's career. First, after bouncing a good amount of times, employers, regardless of your background are going to pass on interviewing you again and again. Then, once somebody finally hires you, you are probably going to be paid around 30% less than you would have if you had clearly stated employment stability on your resume.

Also, if you bounce to a company, to avoid bouncing again, you become somewhat of a prisoner to the firm that you just took a position with. This can be quite devastating to one's career as, when it comes to employment, nothing is guaranteed.

What Are the Positive Effects of Staying At One Job For An Extended Period?

Show employment stability and reliability on your resume and, regardless of the economy, upon putting your CV on the open market, you will immediately witness a good amount of interest from companies throughout the country. Moreover, this will most likely put you in a higher position within your new company that will provide you with more autonomy to utilize the plethora of skills that you have obtained from past employment situations as well as the inherent skills that you have.

What If Your New Job Does Not Work Out?

If you're thinking about taking the risk and bouncing, this is a question you ought to ponder. It is not best to think about the negatives, therefore upon being brought on board, you have to ensure that you work exceedingly hard and produce all of the desired results that your new company has laid down for you.