How Often Can You Change Jobs for Extra Money? Rules for ‘Job Jumping.’
You’ve been at your job for a few years, and your salary hasn’t budged. Your thoughts turn to the ads you want.
Changing jobs for higher income is a time-honored tradition. Change jobs too often, however, and you run the risk of being labeled a career janitor.
With that red flag in mind, we asked a few career experts a question: How often can you safely change employers, if your goal is to earn more money?
American workers appear to be less loyal to their companies today than in the past. The average worker had 3.9 years of tenure in 2024, according to federal data, the lowest employment rate since 2002.
The average working employee has been at their current job for about two years and three months, according to Indeed, an employment website.
“The job market right now is very fluid,” says Priya Rathod, workplace trends editor at Indeed.
Wages are rising for many workers who remain in their jobs, but perhaps not as quickly as they would like.
The average employer plans to raise wages by 3.5% by 2026, according to an October survey of 1,000 organizations by Mercer, a labor affairs consultancy.
With inflation rising at an annual rate of between 2% and 3%, a 3.5% salary increase is low.
Another way to increase your income, is to find a higher paying job.
Corporate recruiters are inundated with job applications. The number of applications submitted to LinkedIn increased by 45% between 2024 and 2025, reports the New York Times. AI has made it easier to apply.
When does job hunting become withdrawal?
But when does job hunting become withdrawal?
The term “is often defined as staying in roles for less than two years,” Rathod said.
Matthew Bidwell, a professor of management at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, agrees: “If you work in a structured way for less than two to three years, they start to panic.”
For potential employers, skipping a job can be a red flag. It suggests one of two things, Bidwell said: “It could be because there’s no work, and you’re constantly cutting, or you have very itchy feet.”
Employers don’t like profits. It takes time and money to train a replacement: the equivalent of one or two years’ salary, Bidwell said.
“That means I don’t want to hire you if you leave after a year or two,” he added.
However, the stigma associated with withdrawing from work may be diminishing.
Is loyalty at work a thing of the past?
American culture used to value loyalty, a theme associated with a pension, a retirement savings vehicle that rewards employees for long service. But those feelings have changed.
“Attitudes have changed dramatically in the last 20 years,” said Christine Sundry, associate director of the career center at Carnegie Mellon University’s Heinz College. “Career paths today are not really straightforward.”
Young adults are coming out of college today with a lot of debt, Sundry said, and under immediate pressure to earn a higher income.
The remote work transition of the COVID-19 era makes it easier to plan for changing jobs.
“Job hunting has become more serious in the past few years,” says Jasmine Escalera, career expert at dating site Bold.
Recent corporate layoffs may embolden workers to spread their CVs.
“The job seeker doesn’t think he has to be honest, because the company is not honest,” said Sundry.
Changing jobs every year or two doesn’t mean quitting, experts say.
Among the twenty-five things, it is expected to be employed. Older workers may be expected to stay longer.
“I think a lot depends on your job, and your age,” said Bidwell. “Changing jobs every year from your 20s to your 20s probably won’t be a problem. Over the years, if you keep doing it, it starts to raise eyebrows.”
If you do job-hop, career experts say, be prepared to explain your decision in future interviews.
“More important than how often you change jobs is whether each move makes sense and, more importantly, whether it can be explained to a potential employer,” Rathod said.
Here are some ways to skip work
If you don’t want to explain your retirement to future employers, then consider other options. Here are a few:
Discuss a higher salary
The majority of American workers report that they have not asked for a salary higher than what was offered when they took their job, reports Pew Research. A higher salary is important, say career experts, if you can get a meaningful raise in the coming years.
Ask for a raise
Most American workers feel they are entitled to a raise, but many are willing to ask for it, according to a 2023 survey from the site B2B Reviews. Employees say they are not sure how to ask, fear rejection or worry about job security.
Obviously, an employee who doesn’t ask for a raise is unlikely to get one.
Ask for a promotion
Better yet, career experts say, ask for a promotion.
“One way people increase their wages is to change jobs in companies,” said Bidwell. “The good thing about being promoted is that you get a raise, and then you find yourself getting a higher salary.”
With the promotion, you are eligible to get higher paying jobs in other companies as well.
Use job offers for promotions
Another way to persuade an employer to give you a raise or a promotion, say employment experts, is to say that you have been offered another job. But this strategy is dangerous, and it can backfire.
If your company rewards you with a higher salary by turning down another offer, your colleagues may “look at you as a little dishonest,” says Bidwell. “And if I think you’re already in the door, how much money will I invest in you?”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How often can you change jobs to make more money? The rules of ‘skipping duty.’
Reporting by Daniel de Visé, USA TODAY / USA TODAY
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
