RECENTLY, I visited a good friend whose job was 'on the rocks. He was planning to quit soon.

Now here's the catch: the company was reputed and he had been working for less than a year!

I found this tough to digest. I am a long-term person myself.

"It's no big deal," my friend said. "It is common these days. I thought I was the only one until I found out that I have company. So many people are job hopping. In fact, it is quite common to change two or three jobs in a year."

Now here is where I disagree. As much as this phenomenon of hopping jobs early in one's career is 'common', it sure isn't 'normal'. Just because a lot of people are doing it doesn't qualify it is normal. In fact, it is as abnormal as abnormal could get.

And because many people are walking around using 'normal' in place of 'common', many justify their actions as 'normal'.

Look at all the areas we have called normal in our life. It is 'normal' to:
~ Bribe a traffic officer
~ Jump a traffic light
~ Cut someone to make a quick buck
~ Cheat on a spouse
~ Cheat at an examination
~ Jump jobs in less than a year
~ Travel without a ticket in the local train
~ Be stressed
~ Work late hours

Aren't you appalled?

I want to encourage a thought here: if we label everything normal, we will never be motivated to change!

Realise the difference between normal and common. To be able to grow upwards in your career, you must realise that job hopping is NOT normal.

Job hopping hints at poor choices, lack of evaluation, lack of emotional stability and, worst of all, lack of tolerance and vision. You cannot progress in life if you have a short-term objective in a job. I believe that to see the result of one's efforts at work takes at least six months to a year.

To move on without giving yourself or your employer a fair chance to succeed is not normal.

Companies today are getting more sensitive towards stability. They are realising the greater professional implications of an emotionally unstable mind.

So a resume with a collection of companies and employers is no longer considered normal or impressive. Even smaller common issues, when taken to be normal, are a cause of great concern.

"It is normal to overcharge the company on daily allowances," a participant at one of my workshops said. Using office hours for personal work such as outstation calls to friends and relatives from the office phone, using the office computer to chat and trade online, to take home some office stationery are all normal practices.

"So how do I know whether my job hopping is normal or not?" my friend asked.

"Would you want your employees to behave the same way? Join your company and quit in three to four months as a pattern?" I asked.

"No way!" he said.

I asked again, "Would you, as an employer, be comfortable if you knew your stationery was disappearing every week, your phone bills were monstrous and..."

Before I could complete the sentence, he said, "I get your point. It all boils down to lack of morality, tolerance and commitment."

So here are what I consider normal:
~ Having a fair tolerance towards negativity
~ Having a vision is normal
~ Having the commitment to follow that vision

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e-mail: Priya Kumar

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