Career Fluctuation
Is it normal for nurses to change their job several times? When is it too soon to switch? Can job-hopping hurt a nurse’s career?
I do not have the “right” answers to the questions above, but I can tell you this, I will have three W2s to fill out for my taxes this year. I say this not to complain but to give perspective. I have been a nurse for a little over a year now, and in two weeks, I will be starting my third position as a registered nurse. While I believe this is the right move for me, I am plagued with concern and hesitation because, growing up, I was told this is not what a career looks like. In my parent’s generation, everyone found their job straight out of school and typically stuck with it, no matter how unhappy or unsatisfied they were. I see a stark difference between our generations because people my age are not settling for careers they are not excited about.
I think the best answer to the aforementioned questions is, “it depends.” I know this is an answer no one ever likes hearing, but let’s dive into it. When getting resumes from nurses with frequent job changes, I think employers are going to focus on one main question “why?” One question regarding my “job-hopping” I got during my most recent interview was, “did you switch jobs for personal or professional reasons?” They were seeking out my why. I knew a question of this nature would come up in the interview, and why wouldn’t it? The employer wanted to be sure that the effort and resources (i.e., time and money) they are going to be putting forth to educate me and train me is going to be worth it, especially with a track record of leaving jobs six months after starting. There are three things to keep in mind when answering questions like these, 1) try not to take the question personally, 2) be upfront about why you left your previous positions, and 3) be honest about your professional goals. Here is what my answer sounded like:
“That is a great question, ultimately I left these positions to persue my professional goals. When pursuing my nursing degree I knew I wanted to end up in the neonatal intensive care unit, however following graduation no hospitals were acepting new grad positions. So I started my career in a community memory care unit that helped me learn empathetic patient and family care. Once I had enough experience under my belt to qualify for the hospital, I transitioned into a neuro focused med-surgical floor. I used my time here to hone my bedside nursing skills and learn time managment. After feeling confident that I developed a good foundation of nursing skills, I started to look for positons in a NICU because with this population is where my true passion lies.”
The moral of the story: Job hopping isn’t always a bad thing, as long as it is based on achieving professional goals or needing to make work-life balance adjustments. Always continue to seek a job that is best suited for you.
What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comment section below, and let’s start a conversation!