It is estimated that people change careers five to seven times during their lifetime. There is, however, no standard definition of what constitutes a career change. Is working in the same field but different industry a career change? Is becoming a business owner a career change if you are doing the same job you were doing as an employee? Or is a career change only a radical move across the field and industry?

Regardless of how big or small your desired transition is, here are some of the biggest myths people believe about changing careers — and what the reality is.

1. There’s One Fool-Proof Way to Change Careers
Countless books are written on the topic of how to make changes in life, including how to change careers. I like to read as many as I can and often find great ideas. Yet changing careers, like all transitions, is still a very personal experience. What seems difficult to you could be very easy for another person, and unexpected circumstances can derail the best of plans. Take the advice, for example, of building a side business while you have a job, so you can then transition out of it into the security of your own new enterprise.

Some companies include a clause in their employment contracts that prevent employees from starting a side business, or you might feel so down after coming back from work you don’t like that you feel too demoralized and too insecure to start a new venture. It’s not that the advice is bad — working on building your business while being fully employed is a great suggestion! — it’s just that not one piece of advice fits everyone’s situation.

Don’t look for one fool-proof way of changing careers — focus instead on creating your own path to a new career based on what you find most helpful.

2. Personality Tests, Journaling, or Reading a Book Are the Secrets to Success
Nothing happens just in your head. While writing, meditation, and personality tests can give you some new insights and ideas, if you have been stuck and unable to change careers for a while, the answers you seek are either buried too deep or are out there already — most likely both.

We react to our perception of reality — not reality itself. Because of this, each one of us has formed a number of beliefs about ourselves and the world that we mistake for the truth. Some common beliefs I see with my clients are that they are not good at something, or too old to change or bad at money, etc. Even with lots of journaling, the deeper and more ingrained your belief is, the most likely it is that you will not be able to recognize it for what it is — a belief, not the truth.

If you suspect this is the case for you, working with a coach will help you unearth what is driving your behavior unconsciously, and once you see your belief for what it is — just a belief —  you will be able to choose what to do with it. “I am bad at the money” might simply become “I need to learn how to negotiate my salary better”.

The other very common situation is that you have no idea what jobs are out there. I am always curious about what kind of work people do and am often surprised to find people have professions I didn’t know existed. For example, a lot of people don’t know what a Technology or Developer Evangelist does. Nope, it’s not a religious order! Here’s a handy definition from Wikipedia: “A technology evangelist is a person who builds a critical mass of support for a given technology, and then establishes it as a technical standard in a market that is subject to network effects. An evangelist promotes the use of a particular product or technology through talks, articles, blogging, user demonstrations, recorded demonstrations or the creation of sample projects.”

If you have technical skills and love people and content, this might be a dream job, yet so many people don’t even know about it. There are many more professions that are not very well-known, and this is why a huge part of you looking for what to do next has to include talking to people in the field.

3. You Need to Have Everything Planned Out
Some lucky people decide they want to do something different, research different options, find another job they like, and voilà — they make the transition. For most of us, things are a bit messier. Very often, people start exploring a different career, and something happens: they cannot transition into it, end up not liking it or discover something they like even better. There is no way for you to choose a new career until you try it out. The fastest way to find what you want to do is to try what seems like a good idea: job shadow, do it on the side, take a class (not an entire new degree!). You will discover that the journey will determine the destination and not the other way around.

4. Changing Careers Is Only for Rich People
While it definitely helps to have a partner, tons of savings, or a lucrative job to support you during your career transition, people change careers regardless of how much money they make. In fact, if you don’t like your job and on top of it you are making very little money, you should run, not walk, towards a new career! You are not doing yourself any favor by staying stuck and broke. We are incredibly lucky to have access to more information than ever, from finding free information online to the library (of which I am a huge fan!), to talking to people you meet at events, friends of friends, Linkedin… the sky is the limit! You can do a lot even with no budget, so don’t let a lack of money stop you from doing what you want. Be resourceful and use it instead as a motivation to take the leap.

5. You Need a Degree to Change Careers
Sometimes we form ideas about how things are and give up before we have time to check if they are really true. If you find yourself thinking you need a degree to change careers, do lots of research. Some jobs do require degrees and licenses (e.g. medical doctor, psychotherapist, etc.), but many more jobs do not require a degree by law. The most important thing employers want is to know you can do the job. If there is no regulation saying you have to have a specific degree, some employers ask for a degree because they see it as proof that you know what you’re doing. Can you prove yourself without going back to school?

More and more colleges now also offer specialized courses and Graduate Certificates to provide people with specific skills without the time and money investment necessary to get a whole new degree. Look at all your options, and then decide what would work best for you. In many cases, you will be OK without having to go back to school for years. And if you find you really need that degree, you will have made an informed choice.

6. You Need to Be a Business Genius to Start a Company
Psst… I have a secret. Very few people are “good at business” when they start. Most people have no idea how to run a business, and have to learn as they build it! This is why there are so many online courses to teach people how to market their work, get their first clients, etc. Don’t let your lack of knowledge stop you. Take it instead as an imperative to learn more about it. And if you can, start your business on the side and learn by doing. Then, when you’re ready, you can take the plunge and go full-time.

7. If Changing Careers Doesn’t Work Out, Your Life Will Be Ruined
When I lived in San Francisco, I took a four-month-long class through a nonprofit to learn everything about operating a business. I used to joke it was the cheapest MBA ever, and even got my friends to take it. The amazing thing? After graduation, some of the students founded highly successful businesses, some started pretty good businesses, some started a business and failed and some realized having a business was not for them.

Everyone, though, learned enough new skills and developed such a deeper understanding of how a business works that they could leverage their new knowledge into a better business, job, or salary. Some ended up getting better jobs, instead of becoming entrepreneurs.  In other words, when you embark on your journey to change careers, you will grow so much that you will be able to use what you learned no matter what.

It might not be what you expected, and you might experience a lot of heartbreak, failure, and discomfort along the way. But if you stay open, challenge yourself to learn new things, and put yourself out there, you will eventually be able to do something you find fulfilling.

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A Guide to Announcing Your Departure With Grace
So you got a job offer — congratulations! Starting a new job often brings with it the opportunity to expand your skillset, climb the ladder and often, earn more money. But before you get too carried away fantasizing about your new job, remember: you still have to part ways with your current employer. In this guide, we’ll share tactical advice on what you need to do to give your two weeks notice and leave your job on a high note.

Why Give Two Weeks Notice?
Some companies financially penalize employees who fail to give two weeks’ notice (or more — check your company handbook) before quitting, but more often, it’s simply common courtesy. Letting your employer know that you plan on leaving your job ahead of time allows them to initiate a formal offboarding process, create a transition plan and possibly begin searching for your replacement, all at a steady pace.

Without advanced notice, they have to scramble to do everything at once, which can be a major headache for everyone involved. If you put your employer in this position, the odds are good that you’ll burn some bridges, which can come back to haunt you if you ever need a referral or end up working with some of the same folks down the road.

Choose the Right Time
Giving two weeks notice can help make your departure more amicable, but it has to come at the right time. If you can, try and hold off on leaving your company until you’ve finished any big projects or assignments. Otherwise, you might inadvertently overburden your teammates and colleagues. If you play a particularly critical role in your company, you may even want to consider giving your employer more than two weeks’ notice.
If you’re truly in a toxic environment or otherwise urgently need to leave your job, though, there’s no shame in just focusing on what’s best for you.

Talk to Your Boss
You’ll probably need to tell your HR department eventually, but in most cases, your manager is the first person you should turn to when you announce your resignation. It might be intimidating, but when it comes to conversations of this sensitive nature, it’s best to chat face-to-face. However, it doesn’t need to be a negative or scary experience. Taking the following steps can help set you up for success:

• Tell them why you’re leaving. To avoid excess negativity, focus on what the new job offers (a chance to build a small team from the ground up, a location closer to your family, etc.) versus what your current one lacks.

• Share a transition plan. Show your boss you still respect them by coming up with a few ideas about how your responsibilities can be transferred over before you leave.
• Express gratitude. Even if your experience wasn’t quite what you hoped for, thank your boss for the time and care they put into managing and mentoring you.

Two Weeks Notice Resignation Letter Sample
Oftentimes, companies will need a written statement that you plan on quitting your job for legal or administrative purposes. If that’s the case — or if you just want to notify your employer that you plan on leaving in a more formal way — you should consider writing a resignation letter. Got writer’s block? Try using this template:

Dear [BOSS’ NAME] This letter serves as formal notice of my resignation from my position as [JOB TITLE], effective [DATE].
The past [NUMBER] years working at [COMPANY] have been some of the most rewarding experiences to date. I’d like to particularly thank you for your time, support and encouragement of my professional growth. It’s been a pleasure working on such a talented team, and to be able to have done so under your leadership.

I’m committed to making this transition period as smooth as possible. I’ll continue to work on my [SPECIFIC JOB RESPONSIBILITIES] until my resignation. Following my departure, [COLLEAGUE/REPLACEMENT] will be the new point of contact.

I look forward to staying in touch, and please feel free to add my personal email to your address book: [PERSONAL EMAIL]

Sincerely,
[YOUR NAME] [YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION]

Don’t just assume sending a letter is enough, though — different companies have different processes. Ask your manager and HR team what they need from you in order to formally acknowledge your departure.

Share the News With Colleagues & Clients
After you get the green light from your manager and HR team, you can start letting your teammates, coworkers and clients know of your upcoming exit. This can be done with varying levels of formality depending on how closely you work with one another, and how things are generally done at your office.

For example, some people set up dedicated meetings with their team to break the news in person. Alternatively, your boss may choose to send an email — or have you send an email — to let your team/department know you’ll be moving on. And at other, more casual workplaces, they may expect you to simply let people know on a one-off basis in casual conversations. If you’re unsure about which method of notifying your colleagues is best, talk to your manager.

Regardless of what form your communication takes, there are a few best practices worth keeping in mind:

• Avoid badmouthing your current employer. Negativity is never a good look, so when explaining why you’re leaving, frame it in a positive way: “I found an opportunity I couldn’t pass up because of XYZ.”
• Share a transition plan, if applicable. For team members whom you work with closely, create and run through a transition document that delegates any unfinished tasks or projects of yours, and shares key information like important contacts.
• Reflect on the good times you’ve shared. This isn’t strictly necessary, but highlighting a few of your favorite moments from your tenure at your current company can be a nice way to show your colleagues that you’ve enjoyed working with them and are going to miss them.
• Invite them to stay in touch. Share your personal contact information and encourage them to reach out to you. You never know when the opportunity to work with one another again will come up!

Once you’ve let everyone know you’re leaving your job, you’ll still have more to do — exit interviews, rolling over your 401(k), etc. — but the good news is, the hard part is over. Once you’ve gotten over the hurdle of announcing your departure, you can breathe a little bit easier and start really looking forward to your new job.

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A Guide on How to Transfer Jobs Within Your Company
We all get frustrated with our jobs from time to time, and in those moments, you might find yourself looking at your coworkers with envy, thinking about how easy they have it, or how much more exciting their work is than yours. You might even want their jobs—like literally.

That envy can signal something exciting for your career. Changing jobs inside your current company has some big benefits: Not only is your employer more likely to take a chance on you—after all, you’ve already proven yourself—but some companies specifically have programs that facilitate internal transfers of employees, making it easy to make a change.

Of course, successfully transitioning to a new role requires some careful navigation. So, if you’re looking to make a lateral move at your current company, follow the tips and tricks laid out in this guide, from how to find a new role to how to make the transition smoothly.

How to Find the Right Role at the Same Company
It’s easy to look at the other open roles in your company with a “grass is always greener on the other side” mindset. But jumping into a career transition without doing research is a recipe for failure. First things first, look up your company’s policies on lateral movements.

Why? You will want to show respect to the company’s policies and guidelines, so it can be consistent in the process—allowing you to transfer under the best possible conditions.

You should also research the specific opportunity that you’re interested in. Do your best to learn as much as possible about the potential role you’d like to move into by speaking to other employees currently in the role, sitting in their meetings, taking notes, and asking the right questions. Not only will you gain a better understanding of whether the role is right for you, but you will show your employer how interested you are and that you’re prepared.

How to Make Your Case
First, you’ll want to reach out to your manager. And yes, you might feel nervous talking to your manager about potentially leaving your team—but we promise this step is critical. In fact, you must speak to your manager before you approach anyone else about your move.

And if you’ve made up your mind that you want to apply to another role, make sure that you are ready to lay out a compelling argument about why you should be allowed to do so.

Try to frame your transfer request in terms of how it will benefit the company. Your move could benefit the company because you would add value to the brand in a new role, build skills the team is missing, or fit better in the new role, making the office more harmonious.

If possible, highlight more than one benefit. Prepare a list, and ensure that all the listed benefits are irresistible. When you make your offer, and let them see that they will get significantly more than they are getting now, they will find it difficult to deny your request.

This can’t be overstated. You will most likely receive a positive response if you can show a clear benefit—or return on investment—to your employer. But you can’t expect him or her to come up with those benefits him or herself. It’s critical that you provide the information.

Whatever you do, don’t give ultimatums. It’s one thing to let your manager know you’re interested in transferring positions—but it’s another entirely to threaten to or even hint that you’ll quit unless you’re given the job you have your eye on. Don’t forget: Your manager may not have the ultimate say in whether your transfer request is approved.
What’s more, there’s no better way to ruin your chances of getting what you want than by displaying a bad attitude. Managers don’t like to be threatened or be issued demands.

How to Navigate the Transition
To avoid hurt feelings with your former manager, and start things off on the right foot with your new manager, a clear transition plan is a must as you prepare to move into a new role.
Set up a meeting with your manager or your successor, if appropriate, in order to co-create a transition plan. Discuss any issues both people need to be aware of—think passwords, upcoming meetings, pending client requests, unanswered emails, or anything there may be.

Not only will this set you up for success, but it will help ensure that the transfer actually goes through. After all, you must admit: Without a plan, there really is nowhere to go!

At the same time, make sure you’re getting ready for your new role—just because your official start date hasn’t arrived doesn’t mean you can’t do some prep work. To ensure you hit the ground running, begin building relationships with your new team and learning more about what you’ll be doing—and, perhaps most importantly, how you can succeed at it.

To do this, set up one-on-one meetings with your new team members so that you can get to know everyone on a personal level. This will increase your odds of seamless integration.
This is also a prime time to connect with your soon-to-be manager and ask if there are any resources you should review or research you should start. Read up on anything he says!

Whatever you do, just don’t check out on your current job. Remember, you’re looking to stay within your organization, and reputation precedes itself. If you stop giving it your all in your current role, word of mouth may spread, and a new hiring manager may be reluctant to work with you. Your goal is to maintain your reputation as a great employee and continue to show your commitment to the organization your with—even if you’re not currently working for the ideal department or team you have envisioned just yet.

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“Whitening the Resume.” That is what the headline of a 2009 New York Times article read. A gripping, three-word phrase that described the tactic of candidates altering elements of their resumes to appear less ethnically diverse: changing a name from “Tahani Tompkins” to “T. S. Tompkins”, scrubbing mentions of HBCUs or historically black colleges and universities, deleting professional organizations or racially-specific clubs from the bottom of a resume.

However, this strategy was nothing new.

In 1963, sociologist Erving Goffman coined the term “covering” to describe how individuals with known stigmatized identities made a “great effort” to alter those identities to be accepted by the mainstream. Fifty years later a Deloitte University study revealed eighty-three percent of LGBTQ individuals, 79 percent of Blacks, 67 percent of women of color, 66 percent of women, and 63 percent of Hispanics admitted to covering. Surprisingly the study exposed that 45 percent of straight White men — who have not been the focus of most inclusion efforts — reported covering.

As the NYTimes article had explored, “whitening” or “covering” had become commonplace among a new generation in the workplace. Some would argue that it is still a must-do for ethnic job seekers. Various studies have confirmed that Black candidates have a harder time than whites. A study published in The American Economic Review titled “Are Emily and Greg More Employable than Lakisha and Jamal?” found that applicants with Black-sounding names received 50 percent fewer callbacks than those with white-sounding names. Another study looking just at academic science jobs found that application materials from female candidates received lower rankings and lower starting salaries than male candidates, even when a job application reviewer was female.

However, despite this implicit bias, industry experts contend that employers want job seekers to bring their entire selves to the job. From Glassdoor to GitHub, Pinterest to Proctor & Gamble, creating a diverse company culture has become a top priority. And for Salesforce, it’s not just about diversity—the goal is true equality.

“The word equality really sends a bigger message. We define equality in terms of four pillars: equal pay, equal opportunity, equal advancement and equal rights,” says Cindy Robbins, Executive Vice President of Global Employee Success at Salesforce. “Every leader in the company, every employee, is accountable for diversity and equality at Salesforce.”

The bottom line: As employers seek to find new ways of recruiting and engaging employees, the focus has turned to women and Millennials. With women at half the U.S. population and millennials about one-quarter, addressing the needs of a more diverse workforce is essential for all employers.

With that, how do you best represent your full self in a job application? Here are some things to consider:

1. Don’t Shy Away From Your Diversity

“If you have a foreign-sounding name, don’t assume that this is going to work against you,” advises Elizabeth Garone, a contributor to the Wall Street Journal. “Employers are keen to hire minorities in order to satisfy federal requirements and employ a diverse workforce. Business Mentors’ Al Stewart says he encourages his clients to ‘play up’ foreign surnames or maiden names in order to attract more employers. He recently worked with a Latin American client with a very American-sounding married name. Her résumé reflected that name, and she was seeing very little activity in the job market. Stewart encouraged her to include her maiden name. Once she did, her interview activity increased substantially, he says.”

2. Culture Fit Is Not Exclusive

“Don’t get so caught up in tailoring your resume to fit a job posting that you forget to communicate what makes you special,” says Anish Majumdar, CEO of ResumeOrbit.com. “Yes, you should probably have most of the ‘must have’ qualifications mentioned in a job posting to be competitive. But once that’s established, it’s all about winning people over through your unique perspective and value-added skills. If you’re an amazing coach/mentor, or write an influential industry blog, or regularly volunteer your time to help out in the community, highlight them within the resume! It’s this x-factor that can mean the difference between ‘Thanks for coming in’ and ‘When can you start?’”

3. Lying Doesn’t Pay Off

Immigration status and the job search are stressful enough, but lying on an application or resume can spell trouble in the long run. According to the Center for International Education at Loyola University New Orleans, a job seeker should never lie on a resume or application. “Your visa status should not be included on your resume. Your educational background and work history will display that you are an international student. Hiring managers will ask the appropriate questions during the recruitment process.” However, they point out one caveat. “If your name ‘sounds’ international and you are a green card holder or U.S. citizen, you may want to include your visa status on your resume to indicate that you are already legally authorized to work in the U.S.”

4. Include Professional Affiliations and Cultural Organizations

While explicitly listing age, sexual orientation or race on an application may be tricky, you should recognize that companies are excited and encouraged by applications from diverse candidates. Are you a member of a civil rights organization or a volunteer group? “Don’t be shy! Let employers know where your leadership and passions lie,” advises career counselor Shira Concool. “Do you volunteer at your Korean Church or translate Spanish to English at a health clinic? Put that into your Leadership Experience section. Perhaps as a first-generation American, you travel back to visit your grandparents in Nigeria every year. You can add that as an international travel experience.”

5. Social Media Posts & Photos Matter

With more recruiters and hiring managers browsing Facebook or the social media accounts of applicants, there is a temptation to scrub or sanitize photos that show your identity, sexuality, religion or race. However, there’s a difference between taking down a party pic and hiding who you are. Wardah Khalid, a foreign policy analyst regularly consulted on Middle East issues told Fast Company, “Putting myself out there as a result of wearing the hijab has definitely made me more confident in who I am. Like it or not, when I put it on, I represent a lot of different things. The best thing to do is to own that.” That goes for when you land the job as well. “Walking into the halls of Congress, it’s very white-male dominated. I definitely felt that I stood out,” she said. But over time those feelings of unease were replaced with confidence. “Once I open my mouth, show that I’m competent, and know what I’m talking about,” she explained, “any issues I might have go away.”

6. Highlight The Skills Only You Possess

While protected by law, people with disabilities can face a lot of barriers to employment. However, they can also have skills that able-bodied candidates do not. “Rather than focusing on what you cannot do, focus on what you can do. You learn so many valuable skills from being disabled such as communication, logistics, and adaptability to setbacks,” says visually-impaired Newton Nguyen, Climate Modeling Research Assistant at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. “Use these unique skills to your advantage, and do not let your disability be your defining characteristic. Rather, you are a multidimensional person with diverse abilities. You are unique, you have experienced things many people are deathly afraid of and you came out on top. Remember that.”

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Do you need to include every job you ever had on a job application? What if there’s not enough room to list them all? How about when some of the jobs you have held aren’t relevant to the positions that you are applying for now?

When job applications are online, there may be space to list an unlimited number of past positions. On other applications, you may only be able to list a certain number of jobs. How many positions should you list? And, what’s more important: quality or quantity?

Which Jobs to Include on a Job Application

There are strategic reasons to include – or exclude – certain past jobs. As a general guideline, you should focus on crafting your work history to best support the specific position you are applying to.

If you have an extensive work history, it will be more difficult to represent your experience in an easily digestible form. At the same time, you’ll have more options as to which positions you choose to include. Candidates with limited experience will not have as much leeway since they’ll need to present at least some evidence of past employment.

The exact number of jobs to include on your applications will depend on your personal situation, but here are some suggestions to help you to decide on how to best represent your unique work history in a job application.

Tips for Deciding How Many Jobs to Include on Job Applications

Read the directions very carefully. Look for indications of whether employers make statements like “list all past jobs.” In these cases, you will be limited to following directions and should include all positions that fit within the available space. Leaving out jobs, particularly during your recent work history, could be grounds for rejecting your application.

In the case where you have many jobs in your distant past that are not relevant to the job for which you are applying, you could summarize your employment during that period.

Example: For positions more than 10 – 15 years in the past you could say, “Worked in a variety of retail services positions from 1990 – 1995, details available upon request.”

Some applications will specify that you list all positions for a certain time frame, like the past 5 or 10 years. In a case like this, you should cover all positions in that segment of time, but you can be selective about what you include in years prior. Regardless, make sure you find a way to incorporate all jobs that show evidence of critical skills or knowledge bases.

Example: If you’ve left out jobs that you had outside of the employer’s timeframe and that are irrelevant to the current position, you can write something like, “Highlights of additional employment provided below. Complete work history available upon request.” if there is a place on the online application for additional information or notes.

3. Keep it short. Be brief when describing irrelevant jobs that you are forced to include, or jobs that are from the very distant past. Instead of detailing duties that aren’t impressive, make other points.

Example: If you held an evening job at a restaurant, you might say “Worked extra hours to expedite the repayment of college loans.” If applicable, you should also highlight promotions, awards or key successes. That way, even if the work isn’t relevant, you can at least make a point about other aspects of your candidacy.

4. Pick and choose which jobs to include. If you aren’t directed to provide your entire work history or all positions within a certain time period, limit the number of positions to those jobs most relevant to the position you’re applying for. However, be sure that you aren’t creating gaps in your work history.

5. You can list more than your work history. Applicants with a limited number of non-related experiences should try to incorporate volunteer and co-curricular roles. If the employer doesn’t have a special category on their application for volunteer experiences or activities, then include these experiences within the employment section. Label them appropriately, so it is clear that the positions were unpaid.

Example: You could list volunteer activity as “Volunteer Event Coordinator, PTA” or “Fundraising Volunteer, American Cancer Society.”

6. Don’t create an employment gap. Some candidates are reluctant to leave off less pertinent positions because it would create gaps in employment, but don’t want to include less impressive jobs. In this situation, one option is to leave these jobs off and use the comments or additional information section to provide an explanation.

This approach will make the most sense if you have an easily understandable rationale for taking time away from your career or downshifting to a less relevant, or impressive position. Perhaps you were taking courses, raising a child, or caring for a family member. Keep in mind that your cover letter might also be a place where you can account for any disturbances in your work history.

Keep it Honest

It’s important to portray your employment history in the best possible manner. If you can closely match your experience to the employer’s requirements, you’ll have the best chance of getting hired.

However, it’s even more important to keep your job applications honest. When you sign (on paper or online) a job application, you are attesting to the fact that what you have listed is accurate and truthful. Employers can, and do, verify the information that job applicants give them. If your application isn’t honest, it can cost you a job – either now or at any point in the future.

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If you’re paying attention to the epochal shift were sitting through right now, you’ll know that the so-called taboo on job hopping is exactly that: imaginary. At least, it is to anyone under 40 right now.

In the last decade, Western and post-industrial countries have witnessed a large inception-like shift to knowledge economies and there’s a new “creative class” burgeoning, according to thinkers like Richard Florida. The workplace landscape is experiencing a fault zone where the twin tectonic plates of technology and business are colliding more fervently than ever before.

Well, those are the broader winds. On an individual level, what does this mean for the millennial today? Is job-hopping a career killer? One has to make one’s own way through this Brave New World that consists of multiple iterations and versions of the creative jobs fueled by the technocrats of Silicon Valley, a morning’s catch worth of fresh opportunities and yet fierce competition among 20- and 30-year-olds today.

Instead of viewing job-hopping as an occupational hazard of the young and halfway-experienced, a liability that mimics the short attention spans social media seems to promote, millennials instead re-frame job-hopping as the linchpin in securing meaningful and fulfilling work, the very thing, in fact, that gives them a competitive edge.

Breadth vs. Depth

The number one casualty of job-hopping, ironically, is not the millennial herself, it’s the seeming sacrifice of depth in favor of breadth.

Conventional thinking would have us believe that the two are mutually exclusive because of the logical and essential limits of time. In a short span of 50 solid working years, one can either build mastery (a popular idea, underscored by writer’s like Malcolm Gladwell or experience a range of diverse situations — but not both.

Except that those who read breadth vs. depth in job-hopping as a kind of zero-sum game are forgetting a very key presence: technology. It might not have been possible to move laterally as well as horizontally in a company. Yet millennials who move jobs today are not only shifting vertically, they’re also moving horizontally, between industries.

Think of it like the difference between starting as an intern and ending up as the CEO versus stepping into the role of community manager in a fitness company and moving to social media manager, which might encompass many of the same duties, in a fashion publication.

The Project Economy

There is a sense that millennials are an impatient and entitled group. That they simply lack the patience to put in the hours required to prove loyalty to a company or make a move up.

Yet much of the workplace ecosystem has been fragmented into several types of workers including virtual assistants, remote and contract workers, one-time project managers and sub-contractors.

Part of the allure of working as a remote worker or a contractor or a freelancer is, of course, functioning independently. But, of course, it started out as a necessity for many millennials who were crushed by student debt, walking into an economic collapse and recession.

But, for millennials, job-hopping often means not moving from company to company but from project to project, which fits into their economic needs as well as their career needs.

Experience counts

It all started (arguably) with the “unpaid internship.” At the outset, in the late ’80s, this was more of an “informal apprenticeship.” Fast forward 4 decades and it’s a staple, a precursor to any job worth having and a necessary gatekeeper that keeps young people honest and “paying their dues.”

Yet experience counts more than ever before. Journalism, marketing and even business grads are finding, more than ever before, it is one’s own initiative to get one’s foot in the door as well as a stellar portfolio that makes a candidate viable.

In fact, many companies such as Shopify openly state that qualifications are not as interesting to them as a well-rounded and experienced candidate. So is job-hopping a career killer in this case? Not so much.

Specialization through multiple jobs

Instead of asking, “Is job-hopping a career killer,” millennials today are asking, “can job-hopping help me narrow in and niche down in a focused way?”

The truth is that holding down multiple jobs can actually produce a diverse skill set in a specific niche. This means that individuals who frequently switch jobs can experience all aspects of a particular industry and build knowledge while still maintaining a focus.

The popular term for this is going “full-stack,” which connotes the breadth of expertise one gains while specializing in a discipline such as marketing, programming or filmmaking.

Building a Narrative

While job-hopping can be incredibly beneficial, then, one thing that millennials do have be prepared for is crafting a narrative around their movements, whether physical or proverbial. While it is certainly true that HR departments are now filling up fast with 20- and 30-year-olds in charge of the hiring process, and so questions are not framed as viewing job-hopping as a liability, candidates still need to be able to explain good reasons for their moves.

Essentially, what job-hopping requires is not a justification, per se, but rather a purpose and an indication that moves were made by the candidate with intention and strategically.

Being able to switch jobs after a short period of time can actually help build the seemingly elusive “unicorn” candidate every company seems to be looking for. If you’re ever in doubt, take time to reflect upon where the choice to move is coming from.

If you’re ever coming against the trifecta of boredom, avoiding challenges or pursuing money, those are red flags and they’ll certainly come up as such in any recruiter’s eyes. If you can demonstrate continuity between multiple jobs in a short period of time, chances are, you’ll be even more invaluable than the “loyal” employee.

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Very few of us will retire from the same employer that gave us our first job out of school. While some of those job changes might be involuntary, due to a layoff or termination or other circumstances beyond our control, eventually, we’ll be the ones to say goodbye.

That means knowing when to stay and when to go – and being aware that it’s not always easy to tell the difference at first glance.

10 Things to Consider Before You Say Yes to a Job Offer

If you’re contemplating a job change, here’s what you need to consider before you make the leap:

1. Will you make more money? (Are you sure?)

Money isn’t everything, but you can’t enjoy much of anything without it – constant worry about finances has a way of taking the joy out of life.

While a higher salary isn’t the only reason to take a job, most people want to see a steady increase in salary over time. If your present employer doesn’t offer much in the way of regular raises (and if they don’t, they’re not alone – in one survey, only about 20 percent of employers said they planned to offer cost-of-living adjustments in 2015) your best bet might be to move on to greener pastures.

Of course, before you take the cash and run, you better make sure it adds up to as much as you hope. Compensation isn’t just a matter of what’s printed on your paycheck. Make sure you aren’t trading higher contributions to health insurance or other before-tax benefits for a slightly higher paycheck… which will go to pay for those self-same benefits.  Use these free paycheck calculators to figure out what your net income will be.

2. What are you giving up by leaving?

Unless your job is truly wretched, there are probably a few things you like about it, even if it’s just the people you work with or an easy commute. Make sure you’re looking at all the pros and cons of leaving and staying before you make up your mind – even if, in the end, it’s a pretty easy call.

3. Is there room for growth in your new position?

If you’re like most people, you probably don’t want to change jobs every year for the rest of your life, but you need to know that you’ll meet new challenges and learn new skills, even when you stay put. Ideally, your new role should come with the possibility of growing into another, higher position at the same company. Nothing like moving up the corporate ladder without having to roll over your 401(k).

4. Does the corporate culture feel comfortable for you?

Everyone has their own idea of a good time, and that’s as true professionally as it is personally. While you might look at an open-plan office and see one big party of creativity and collaboration, another person might cringe and go running back to their cube. If possible, ask to take a tour of the office during your interview process. Pay close attention to the physical space, noise level, demeanor and behavior of the staff, etc. Do you see yourself working well there, and feeling comfortable? There’s no perfect company, but there is a perfect company for you.

5. Do you respect the people you’ve met so far?

You can’t tell everything about your future co-workers by what you see during your interview, but you can get a general vibe of what kind of personality shines at the company. Can you see yourself working well with people, respecting them, learning from them?

6. Will you learn something new?

There’s no way to be 100 percent sure that you’ll love your new job, but if you can learn a new skill while you’re there, you’ll have moved the needle on your career, no matter what.

7. If you had to get a new job next year, would it be easier or harder than it is right now?

Let’s say the worst happens, and you hate your new job – or your new boss foolishly decides you’re not a good fit. Will moving to this new position put you in a better or worse place than you’re in right now? Ideally, you’re leaving your current role in order to move to a situation in which you’ll gain experience, knowledge, skills, and a positive brand association that will help you in your career long after you’ve left your next job.

8. Why do people leave jobs at your prospective employer?

You hate stress, but this company is famous for making grown men weep in the middle of the office. You value diversity, but everyone who stays long enough for their stock to vest hangs out at the same alumni club. If you want to know whether you’ll be happy and successful at a job, look at the folks who left… or were forced out. If you resemble them more than the people who stayed, you could be in trouble.

9. How’s the company doing?

Your new employer could be the perfect place for you, and your new job the ideal role – but if the company isn’t around long enough for you to get your first review, it won’t matter. Do your due diligence before accepting an offer. If the company is public, you may be able to glean some information on their financial stability from public filings and reports.

You can also dig up some information with a simple Google search and perusal of their social media mentions. Bearing in mind, of course, that electronic gossip is likely to be as complete a picture as the old-fashioned kind that takes place around the water cooler – which is to say, it isn’t. That’s OK, though: you don’t need to know everything. You just need to get a sense of whether there might be trouble ahead.

10. Where will you go after this job is done?

Just as your last job wasn’t, well, your last job, neither is this one likely to be. Make sure that your next step leads in the right direction, and not into a corner. Careers can and do zigzag, but you need to be able to keep moving.

The post 10 Things to Consider Before You Say Yes to a Job Offer appeared first on Résumé Writing and Career Services.

Feeling stuck?

We’ve all heard sad stories of people quitting jobs to get away from gruesome bosses, unreasonable work hours, or places with weird smells, but in truth, the reasons people quit are often less dramatic – and more positive – than those horror stories might lead us to believe. A recent LinkedIn survey of over 10,000 people around the world found the reasons people quit are pretty universal.

LinkedIn surveyed people around the world and found out that they quit jobs mostly because they didn’t have room to grow (45%). There wasn’t room for advancement if they stuck around, even if they were great at what they did.

In the modern lifecycle of the typical worker, that’s not hard to believe. Gone are the days when you were celebrated for spending 40 years with “the company” and were sent off with a gold watch and hearty pat on the back. In fact, a certain amount of job hopping can actually be beneficial to your career, boosting your pay and giving you broader horizons than if you’d stayed put.

Other Reasons People Quit

When you look around and can’t trust the captain of the ship, that’s a problem, right? The second most common reason people quit their job was poor leadership (41%). Just when you think people don’t notice the bosses quietly lurking on the edge of the masthead, something like this comes out to show you how important it is to have good people in charge. Besides, if the ship runs aground, you’ll be in trouble too. Better to have a good job at a rising star of a company than, yeah we’ll say it, a sinking ship.

The only satisfied drones are those in a beehive, not your cubicle row. Coming in about even at third and fourth in the recent survey, were quitters wanting better work culture and wanting more challenging work (36% for both). We respond better to jobs that are as agile as our brains. Repetition only leads to carpel tunnel, so why stay somewhere that’s going to lead to harm?

Coming in at fifth and sixth, the survey showed that 34 and 32% of quitters (respectively) wanted better pay and better recognition at work. It’s probably surprising that they came in so low on the scale when you hear tons of anecdotal evidence that a high-paying gig is the reason why most people leave a job. (Get a free PayScale salary report to see how much you should be getting paid at your current job.)

So next time you hear a story about someone quitting their job because they wanted to go join the circus, nod and smile at them, knowing that they likely just wanted a job that would encourage their trapeze lessons on Tuesday nights and give them something new to juggle at work.

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Under normal circumstances, giving two weeks notice is standard practice. However, I often hear from employees who are working under very difficult circumstances or just started a job and know it isn’t going to work out and aren’t sure what to do.

Should they stick it out for another couple of weeks or are there times when you can give less than two weeks notice or no notice at all?

In most cases, it is advisable, even in difficult employment situations, to give the mandatory two weeks notice (or more in some cases) which has been outlined in an employer’s policy guidelines.

You never know when a previous employer might be contacted by a prospective one, so it is wise to leave on the best possible terms. It can impact your future employment options if a prospective employer is told that you quit without notice.

Reasons Not to Give Two Weeks Notice

However, there may be some circumstances like the following where leaving sooner might be permissible:

• An employee has been physically abusive.
• A supervisor has sexually harassed you.
• The work environment is unsafe or it is unsafe to carry out your assigned responsibilities.
• Your mental health is being seriously endangered by job stress.
• You have not been paid the agreed upon wage or wages have been withheld for an unreasonable length of time.
• You have been asked to do something which is clearly unethical or illegal.
• Personal or family circumstances are such that you need to leave the job.
• A crisis has happened in your life, and there is no way you can continue on the job.

Before You Quit Your Job

In most cases, it will make sense to contact the Human Resources department or management officials not directly involved with your grievance to discuss your situation and explore possible remedies or accommodations prior to giving notice. In some cases it will also make sense to consult a counselor or therapist to help you cope with job stress.

Do keep in mind that the company can’t force you to stay. However, if you quit a job without good cause you may not be eligible for unemployment benefits. Here’s information on collecting unemployment benefits when you quit a job.

Reasons to Quit

If you’re ready to move on, and aren’t sure what reason to give. Here are 10 good reasons to quit your job.

How to Quit Your Job

Even if you’re not giving much, or any, advance notice, there are ways to resign gracefully. A conversation is always best, but if it’s not possible to discuss your resignation with your supervisor in person, you can use a phone call or email message to resign. Here’s how to quit your job with class including when to quit, what to say and how to resign via email or a phone call, if necessary.

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From time to time I have a question come from job seekers along the lines of…

If I take this job, how will it look on my resume for the next time around?

It’s certainly a valid question to ask… but one that usually has no easy answer!

When making decisions regarding job offers and career paths, the choices are very personal and often driven by immediate circumstances. There are a number of things to consider….

What are your career goals?

In order to know whether a particular job will help or hurt you in obtaining the next job you want, you have to know what next job you want! If you have no direction in mind for your career, then it’s not possible to know whether taking this job will help or not.

I had a conversation with someone that is young in their career in accounting. They had risen to an Accounting Manager role in their last position before being caught in a massive corporate lay-off. They now have an opportunity at a staff accounting role in a smaller organization, however, it would pay even better than their last leadership role. Their concern is whether taking that kind of position would help or hurt in the move they may choose to make after this one.

A very high percentage of people don’t really have a plan or goal for their career, and rather simply view their work as something to show up to and perform each day in some vague hope that it will lead to better things. There is nothing intrinsically wrong with that approach, and many people ultimately end up in positions of great responsibility or prestige without really having aimed to get there. If that’s your approach, any one particular job may help or hurt in that process, but that can’t necessarily be figured out in advance.

If, however, you have a distinct objective for your career, planning and choosing carefully how to get there is imperative.

What are your current circumstances?

One obvious consideration always has to be your current circumstances. Regardless of your career goals, thought has to be given to your immediate needs. Ask yourself several questions, including…

• How desperate is my current financial situation?
• What is the financial risk of not accepting this position now?
• What are the prospects of a more attractive opportunity surfacing in an acceptable period of time?
• …and others.

Other questions to contemplate…

• What would my resume look like with a longer gap vs. a position that’s a step backward?
• How does an extended time unemployed affect my skills and employability?
• Could I make a credible case to a future employer of why this position is an asset rather than a diversion to my goal?
• Would I be content doing this position on a daily basis?
• Is my career a major consideration for me or do I work primarily for a paycheck?
• …and others.

No one should make a decision whether you should take a particular job or not. It’s a personal choice based on your goals, preferences, and circumstances. However, asking yourself a number of key questions can make the decision clearer.

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