Settle, switch or give it some time. What is a better career move?

For the last 33 years, Abdur Rouf has been working for a pharmaceutical company. Starting as a cashier, he now leads the accounting department. He loves his job and cherishes his contribution to the company.

Ashraful Haque, on the other hand, has worked for 12 organisations in the last 20 years. He began as a journalist, and switched to NGO jobs, before moving back to journalism again. But it was not in pursuit of higher pay. It was not just pay and job satisfaction that drove his decision, he also always sought out work that provided him with the freedom to travel. 

Switching between jobs has become increasingly commonplace in today's hyper-competitive workplace, especially in the private sector. Gone are the days of our fathers and grandfathers, when someone would stick to one job for their lifetime. 

"Over the last few decades, major changes have been observed in both recruiters' and employees' ideologies. Previously, people believed that long-term jobs are a sign of stability and growth, and hence, they clung onto jobs for years, regardless of the outcome," said an HR expert from a leading company in the country, unwilling to disclose his identity.

"In this era of globalisation, opportunities shape our careers more than they ever did. I can not blame a candidate if he/she has gone for too many opportunities in his/her career. An ideal recruiter will see through the real talent despite the CV epilogue," the HR added.

But do employees get what they want by switching between jobs? Or should you find one that suits you and stick to it for a long time?

The Business Standard spoke to several professionals, as well as HR experts, for their two cents on the matter. 

The perks of switching to a new job

Many experts and industry veterans feel what is more important than the duration you spend in a job is that you are switching jobs for the right reasons. And there are many such reasons professionals will cite.

Firstly, switching to a new job can often come with a more attractive compensation package or a promotion. 

Nahiyan Naziyat, for example, worked at a renowned marketing agency as a copywriter for two years, before making a move to another newbie marketing agency in the same role recently, with better pay. 

She feels it was the right time to move and it would have been premature to make the move earlier, even though she was not happy with the pay she was receiving. 

"There was not any change in designation or employee facilities. But there was a difference of Tk5,000 in the salary. To me, every penny counts," Nahiyan said.

Others like Ashraful say that life is too short to get stuck in a single job and it's better to explore different fields to find out what you are passionate about. 

Ashraful's first job was at an NGO that deals with disaster management and climate change. There, he worked as a researcher. He loved the job, as it offered him the opportunity to work closely with nature in the countryside.

"I loved writing about the environment, visiting the hills and forests, and learning about the lives of people who are on the fringe of society. I wanted to explore every opportunity that allowed me to travel," said Ashraful.

He soon moved to another environment-related NGO job, which offered him the opportunity to work even more closely in nature. 

Haque switched jobs a few more times before moving finally back to journalism and currently works as a senior journalist at a reputed national daily. 

"I do not want a successful career; I want a satisfying career. All these job switches were my desperation for one ounce more satisfaction," he explained.

Apart from a higher compensation package and the thrill of exploring different fields, job hopping can also land you in a field that is more compatible with your long-term career ambitions. 

After graduating from the Department of Geography and Environment at the University of Dhaka, Afrida Islam started working for a reputed consultancy firm as a GIS expert. Recently, she switched her job to a research assistant post at an international NGO.

"I made way more money as a GIS expert. But since I want to pursue a master's degree abroad, the research assistant post will add much more weight," she explained.

As a matter of fact, employees have been known to switch to jobs with relatively low pay because it gives them more satisfaction. 

For instance, Mahima Rahman (pseudonym) worked as an executive at Augmedix, and then she switched to Teach for Bangladesh as a fellow.

"Fellowship at Teach for Bangladesh comes with a master's degree. It is a work-and-learn opportunity. Hence, I settled for this job, even though they pay me less money," she said.

Then there are those who simply switch jobs because their current one is too exhausting. While many young professionals glorify overworking, extra tasks and hours can cause a good employee to work longer hours, causing frustration and a lack of motivation, which can ultimately lead to total burnout. 

"In my previous office, the reporting time was 10 am sharp, and there was no check-out time. Week after week, I stayed at the office after 11 pm. I had no time for family or myself. Moreover, the everyday Narinda-Banani-Narinda commute only exacerbated the situation," said Redwan Chowdhury, a former strategic planner at a marketing agency.

Leonika Hannan, an independent tech-focused HR consultant, agrees that in many cases, employees switch to a new job with less money that is closer to their job or allows hybrid working opportunities.

"Living closer to work or remote work saves commute time and a big chunk of the salary which is spent on transportation. Hence, most of the employees do not mind the pay cut," she said.

Moreover, switching jobs can always land you at a job that's more welcoming and nurturing of its employees. 

For example, Anusha Islam, a BBA graduate of United International University, strongly believes that managers or supervisors play a vital role in job sustenance. "We do not switch jobs, we switch bosses," she said.

Anusha used to work for a clothing brand as a social media executive for a few months, and her relationship with her boss was so bitter that it eventually made her quit.

"I simply did not get along with my boss. She was very commanding and made me do things that were not in my job description. Even though my responsibility was to handle the brand's social media and to make content for them, she used to make me do office chores like cleaning and taking care of logistics," she said.

The other side of the coin

While switching jobs can be rewarding and can land you a more lucrative career opportunity, it's better not to bite off more than you can chew. 

Many young professionals dream of climbing up the corporate food chain at lightning speed and often get promoted to highly demanding managerial jobs too early in their careers. Their lack of experience often catches up with them and they have to suffer the consequences. 

Therefore, one should be careful before making too many switches as it can be a red flag to your CV as well.

"During recruiting, if an inexperienced HR sees that the candidate has switched jobs frequently, he/she might flag that CV. The first hunch is, the person must be unstable or extremely money-oriented," said Leonika Hannan, adding, "however, with an interview, they sometimes can uncover the logical reasons for recurring job switches, but not all the candidates make it to the interview to justify it."

But what should you do if you have a toxic and somewhat abusive superior officer? The answer is not as straightforward. 

Being authoritarian seems to have become a rather ubiquitous managerial trait in workplaces nowadays. Every organisation seems to have one or two 'bad-tempered' apples. 

Moreover, having a bad boss can sometimes even improve the cohesion among subordinates. As long as you can work your way around the boss and have an otherwise accommodating workplace, sticking around, at least for a while, may not be the worst thing to do.

This was the case for Shajib Khan. He had to deal with an unaccommodating boss at his workplace. Despite that, he worked there for more than two decades.

"My boss was bad, but the workplace and my colleagues were amazing. The comradery boosted my productivity, and I could see myself growing. Hence, I did not switch jobs. I stayed and kept learning until I reached a position where I could start my own company," he added.

On the flip side, some stick to one job for decades. Abdur Rouf is one of these people. 

"I have had several opportunities to switch to a new job, but I didn't take them. I have always been very content with what I had. This job is my longest habit to date and the emotional attachment I have with it is something I cherish every day," he added.