Does it seem like many recent college grads are changing jobs every other year? It probably does because the majority of them are. Why you ask? Well that is the million dollar question. Many companies would pay a high dollar to figure that out so they could retain their new hires.

While I myself am a recent college grad, graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill in 2006, I have not changed jobs since I took my position with Jackson Sumner & Assocs. in July of 2006. I may be a little different because I joined the family business, but I still have many friends and know of plenty who act like they’re just playing a game of hopscotch–jumping through jobs.

One reason I think that many Gen Ys are switching jobs so quickly is because they take the first opportunity they’re offered right out of college. This may not necessarily be the field they want to be in, but they took it because it paid something and they hear how tough it is to get a job in this economy. After a year or so at that job, they realize that it isn’t what they want to do and start looking elsewhere. I don’t think it’s necessarily for more money, I think they just aren’t happy in their current position. Most Gen Y’s want to be challenged or else they get bored. It could be that many jobs aren’t presenting these recent grads with enough challenges, so they look for a change–meaning a new job.

Another reason I think we see so many switching jobs is because they took a job in the beginning just because it would “look good on their resume.” They may have known the pay was low, the hours were long, etc, but they knew it was with a well known company and it would look good on their resume, so they took it just as a resume builder. They are immediately looking for a new job, hoping their increasingly strong resume will help them land that top position.

I think a lot of Gen Ys feel that they have a sense of entitlement to top positions and get frustrated when they aren’t given them or the track to get there isn’t fast enough. Why the entitlement? I think many are forgetting that experience carries a lot of weight. They believe that because they have a College degree or a Masters degree that that should carry more weight than a veteran of the industry of 30 years and that they should have the corner office immediately. Many look at their parents, who most likely are Baby Boomers and see the top positions and accomplishments they have achieved, many without college degrees, and the Gen Ys want that instantly. Ambition and instant gratification are two character traits that many Gen Ys have. I think many forget that you do still have to earn your position. There is so much in every job that can’t be learned by a book or taught in college and experience really is key. The time you need to put into a job counteracts the instant gratification the Gen Ys want.

As an employer, when we’re looking to hire someone, a red flag to us is if they’ve had multiple jobs over a short time frame. We start having lots of questions: Why did you leave? What were you looking for? Was it more money? What it a better title? More perks? At Jackson Sumner & Assocs. when we hire someone we want to hire them for a career position and not just a job. If you will leave one company for a few more dollars, then you’ll leave us to go to next better offer. We don’t want to be just another step in the Hopscotch game. There is a lot of expense in training new hires, so companies are reluctant to hire Gen Y’s if they think they’ll just come for a year or so and then leave.

My advice to the Gen Ys out there is to take your time when accepting your first job. It’s ok to figure out that what you thought you wanted wasn’t right and you want to change directions; but don’t just take a job to put it on your resume with hopes of jumping to the next better thing.

Climbing the corporate ladder isn’t just a friendly game of Hopscotch. You will get a lot further by earning your position than demanding it.

Special Reports /

nGInsights: Playing Hopscotch in the Corporate World

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