Do You Want a Job for Life?

No, you don't. … Well, at least according to the statisticians we'll have at least 7 career changes throughout our lives.

It can't be a realistic figure. After all, I'm almost 30 and I've had just … 4 jobs. … Hm, maybe it's not such an exaggerated number.

Image from: chs.rcsnc.org

To see if I were the odd one out, I asked my friends and colleagues how many jobs they had throughout their lives and I must admit I was very surprised. Of course, there were some who has had only 2 or 3 jobs (I didn't count summer jobs.) but they were in minority.

A friend of mine, Beth, worked as a dishwasher, bartender, cleaner at building sites, food promoter in a supermarket, waitress in a confectionery, pet shop assistant (or 'beast tamer' if you like), business manager in the same pet shop (she is good at taming people too), data entry operator at an online company and then as a team leader at the same company. It's … 9 jobs within 13 years. Not bad.

The absolute winner, however, is another friend of mine: Maria. She is only 32 years old and has had 11 jobs. Yes, 11. She sewed shoes, then manufactured paper bags, then for a while she was a sales assistant in a shoe shop, after which she worked in a dry cleaner's. In the meantime, she taught music and English for children as a private tutor. Later on, she worked in a nursery for a few months. Then, she was a … I'm not quite sure what she did but something related to sales statistics. All I know is that they had two inventories in a year. ;) Then, she sang in a choir. (She's been singing in different choirs throughout the years but I count only this one because she actually was paid for it.) Then, she worked as an interpreter for a company offering financial consultancy. But she wanted something more creative so she decided to translate movies. (It's not that easy as it sounds. But fun for sure.) And now she is a data operator. Yes, she is this energetic and versatile.

So, the stats are quite reliable. But let's see why one in three workers remain in a job for less than two years.

Why do people quit their jobs?

Disillusionment – They feel they could do much more. This is usually combined with the appearance of new opportunities on the horizon.

Downsizing – Unfortunately, sometimes the career change is not our choice.

Money – Like it or not, you need it.

Stress – Sometimes money cannot compensate the stress which comes with the job.

Poor relationship with your boss – Nothing is more demotivating than a boss who cannot speak only shout.

No appreciation – The recognition of a job well-done is very important for us.

Relocation of the company – Not everyone can or wants to move into a new city.

What to do if you are unhappy with your job?

• My mother's advice: 'Keep repeating it could be worse.'

Result:

Image from: protagonist.wikia.com

• My advice: Learn new skills, prepare for a career change and look for a better, more rewarding job.

Result:

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How about you? How long have you been working for your present employer? Why did you leave your previous one?