New work needed right away
Not so long ago regular job changing was seen by the potential employers as a sign of irresponsibility of an employee and so called professional vagrancy. However, contrary to popular belief, the search for a suitable, a new job does not have to be an expression of recklessness. On the contrary – determination in achieving one’s own professional goals is more and more often seen as a sign of professional maturity.
First of all, there is a question whether the frequent changes of job indicate instability of an employee? From the point of view of an employer we can say it does – says Tomasz Sierszchuła, Interim manager, Coach, Consultant, Reikan Consulting. However, from the point of view of the way which an employee paved for oneself – not necessarily. That is why changing jobs might be a sign of mobility and flexibility in achieving one’s aspirations. In case of young employees it’s often the search of the right place for themselves. Hence not the number of job changes matters but the reason for them and the employers start to understand that. – he adds.
Then why the Poles are looking for a new job? There are many reasons. A research done in 2013 by CBOS ‘Professional mobility and flexibility of Poles’ („Mobilność i elastyczność zawodowa Polaków”) proves that the main reason for changing job aren’t financial issues but lack of job satisfaction. Some other essential arguments are the lack of security in the current place of employment and lack of interest in the employees on the part of the supervisor. Finding a new job is therefore a way to find a place where the employee’s skills and competencies will be recognized.
Poles more and more mobile?
The resignation from the former place of employment in order to change the employer raises uncertainty because of the belief that finding a new job will be difficult and lengthy. Depending on the competencies held by the employee, searching for a new employer may take from a few days up to several months. Employees aware of their professional values, however, are often ready to take the risk of periodic unemployment, because of the opportunities that they face. High qualifications make it much easier to find a job in which an employee will have a chance to fully fulfill his/her ambitions. One should remember that the period of time needed to find a new job to a large extent depends on the employee and the actions taken by him/her.
In case of people with the competencies wanted on the job market, we can talk about a fluent change of the workplace – informs Tomasz Sierszchuła. Such employees are usually well aware of their capabilities and assets, their value on the job market, usually they are also capable of design work, which means that while working in one company they already start cooperation with another, presenting their skills in practice, which definitely facilitates the process of switching jobs.
The determination of Poles in achieving professional goals is confirmed by the research done by Randstad Research Institute. In the second half of 2013 the willingness of Poles to change job rose by 23%. Poles slowly start to be the most often changing job nation in Europe. Those results prove that Polish employees are becoming more mobile and flexible professionally. What is more, more and more Poles is ready to devote their free time to improve their skills or even to get a new profession in order to find a better job.
Who changes most often?
In the past five years, the private sector was the one with the highest frequency of job changing. The age of people who seek a new employer usually falls into the range of 18 - 34. The industry in which we can observe an increased tendency to change jobs are services. It is affected not only by a phenomenon of professional burnout, very common in this sector, but as well by extensive communication and organizational competences.
Those whose work involves direct contact with other people, and who feel pleasure in this respect, are largely active, open, easy-going employees – says Tomasz Sierszchuła. These characteristics also affect the ease of changing jobs in case of the lack of opportunities to achieve one’s own aspirations in the given company. A plethora of relationships on these positions offer a range of potential new workplaces and openness to people let build new relations faster and present oneself as a valuable person, useful to the new company. If these features are supported by passion and commitment, then as a result we have a person who achieves good results and is a real titbit on the market.