It's not uncommon these days for an employee to leave a current job for greener pastures. No one faults a person for taking another position that offers more money, greater prestige or bigger opportunities.
But what if this same employee takes the new job after being in a current position for only six months? Does the move still sound reasonable? Or, does it perhaps seem unprofessional, selfish and ungrateful?
That's the fine line that many workers must walk when they receive another job offer soon after taking a new job. While no one would probably fault the worker who left after two years of employment, leaving a new position after less than a year can have long-term consequences.
For example, say a worker has three jobs within a two-year span. Somewhere in that job-hopping scenario, a boss or co-workers will begin to wonder why the person isn't more committed to a job. Could the employee be difficult to work with? Only focused on his or her own goals instead of those of the company or the team? Is the employee switching jobs because he or she can't (or won't) do the work assigned?
While jumping to any conclusions may be unfair, a worker who switches jobs too quickly and too often can risk looking unstable professionally and personally. Further, leaving a new job too soon also may not be of any benefit to the worker at all.
Maybe the employee is not getting a promotion simply because he or she hasn't been with the company long enough, so the employee leaves for another position. If the worker had stayed with the former job, however, the bosses might be ready to give that person those new opportunities so keenly desired.
Further, keep in mind that even if a worker is not completely satisfied with a current position, it doesn't mean an exit from the job is necessary. If the worker can prove to the boss that he or she is a hard worker, then that boss might be more willing to work with the employee on getting the desired job within the company.
If an employee is contemplating leaving a job after only a short time, here are some other things to consider:
Long-term goals. If a current position doesn't help in any way to meet future career plans, then it may be time to simply move on. If an employee wants to be a veterinarian, it doesn't make sense to stay in a job selling advertising after being offered a job in a vet's office.
Understanding your passion. Sometimes people job hop because they don't understand that the reason they're unhappy is not the employer - it's the job. If a person loves working outside but continues to accept jobs that keep him or her indoors all day, then that person is going to be unhappy.
Absolute deal-breakers. If someone is working at any company where there is something illegal going on, that worker shouldn't hesitate to look for another job as soon as possible.
The key is learning to be patient, and carefully weighing all the pros and cons before leaving too soon.
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