时事资讯:多久跳一下槽比较合适?

【英文原文】

How Often Should You Switch Jobs?

With unemployment at a 26-year high as the grinding downturn wears on, many people are being forced into job changes─if they're lucky enough to find new jobs. But for those still employed and managing their careers, there's a perennial question: How often should you change jobs?

During the recent boom, it was common to hear advice that frequent jobs changes were the way to take advantage of the fast-moving economy, maximize personal opportunities and use leverage to get pay raises. Long over were the days of professional loyalty employees to employers, and vice versa when people clocked life-long careers at the same company. The career adviser and blogger Penelope Trunk, for example, counseled her readers in 2007 that 'staying in one job forever is today's recipe for career suicide.'

'At the beginning of one's career, it is nearly impossible to find something right without trying a bunch of options,' Ms. Trunk wrote. 'After that, you will experience more personal growth from changing jobs frequently than staying in one job for extended periods of time. And if you change jobs frequently you build an adaptable skill set and a wide network which are the keys to being able to find a job whenever you need to.'

All of that advice might well remain apt today, but the recession has changed the calculus for many workers. Alison Green, a staffing manager at a nonprofit, wrote earlier this year in a guest post on a U.S. News World Report blog that a clear-eyed assessment of the possible downsides is crucial in changing jobs in this environment.

'Obviously, it would be silly to say people should never change jobs in a bad economy,' Ms. Green wrote. 'Maybe you can find your dream job, or a way out of a career sinkhole, or a financial windfall. But if there was ever a time to proceed with some extra caution and not leap rashly, it's now.'

Indeed, in more recent advice on her blog, Penelope Trunk answers the question 'How can I change careers without taking a pay cut?' this way: 'You cannot change careers without taking a pay cut. It is childish to ask this question. So stop asking it. Instead, live below your means so you are not a slave to your career choice.'

Ultimately, as with so many aspects of the juggle, it's all about determining what works best for you. For my part, I've worked here at the Journal for about nine years, albeit in three different positions. In that time, my wife has had five stints at four organizations. While no situation is perfect, we're both fulfilled and growing professionally.

What's your take on the right pace of job or career changes? Have your views changed with the downturn? How often have you switched positions, either within the same company or at different employers?