Job Hopping Isn’t The Only Way to Show Ambition

Job Hopping Isn’t The Only Way to Show Ambition — Here’s Why

Job hopping is becoming increasingly normal, with 64 percent of professionals think changing roles every few years can be beneficial, according to a 2018 survey from Robert Half—just four years ago, only 42 percent of workers held the same belief.

Popular amongst Millennials and younger workers, job hopping has been on the rise because they are motivated to advance in their careers rather than get stuck in one job for a couple of years. However, staying at one company for five or more years does not mean you’re lame or lack ambition.

The employees at AdRoll Group, an organization with unique internal mobility and flexibility, have found an employer that allows them to advance in their careers while staying within the same company. The lesson they’ve shared with Glassdoor is that staying at one company can allow for as much career growth as hopping from one job to the next.

If you’re feeling stagnant in your career, but love the company you work for, see how the employees of AdRoll have built a flourishing career without bouncing from company to the next.

Master Your Core Role

To grow, you need to build the proper foundation and mastering your current position should be the starting point. If you’re proficient in your role, you’ll set yourself on the path for growth and mobility, suggests Emma Gilroy. Gilroy has changed positions multiple times with AdRoll. Her recommendation: “Number one, master your day-to-day responsibilities. Get to a place where everyone has really strong confidence in your abilities.”

Gilroy — who serves as the Global Head of Customer Operations — explains to do this, you must “work and operate in a smart manner; get your work done in a timely, efficient way; do it to a high standard; and tackle problems head-on, become more solutions-oriented.”

Mastering your core role will not only set you up for success but also help you get you noticed by leadership (something you’ll need for mobility). According to Gilroy: “Once you’ve instilled confidence across the board in your ability to fulfill your primary tasks, with people beyond just your direct line of management, other people can start to become advocates who support you and your contributions.”Creative Ways to Show You're Ready to Move Up in Your Company

Become an Expert in an Area You Enjoy

Taking your time within your career path allows you to learn and master specific skills that set you up as the expert in your company. If you’re flying up the ladder, or consistently changing roles, you can’t identify these opportunities—or lack the focused time to dedicate to honing a specific skill set.

“I’ve seen a lot of success in the teams I’ve managed when people are able to identify something unique to them, where they could go deeper than others and become an expert,” recalls Gilroy. “If you get really strong in one specific area where you can then help other people, you can start to have a broader impact. There will be more dependency on you and your contributions.”

Ultimately, if you’re an expert in an area you can own, you can use that to leverage movement into new positions. Gilroy explains, “The key to internal growth and mobility is identifying something that interests you but also can create a specialty.” In going deep, you also ensure that you’re working in a role that you truly enjoy, which makes all future career changes much more fulfilling.Switching Jobs Internally — How to Apply & How to Manage the Transition

Gain Career Confidence

Honing in on your position and the skills that make you successful may help you find the confidence you need to move into new roles. “People can get distracted by trying to cover too much and never really become successful in that core day to day, which can lead to a lack of confidence,” says Gilroy.

Togbor Wentum has moved between several positions during his journey at AdRoll, each time getting closer to where he wanted to be. The solutions engineer explains how giving 110 percent in his positions not only boosted his confidence but lead to successful mobility:

“Do your core role with dedication and then do extra. I was giving all of myself to the team and the company, essentially showing that I delve into work wholeheartedly and that my behavior was not going to change when I moved into a new role. Demonstrating full involvement by bringing your wholehearted self to work and getting after it, helps build confidence in your ability to continue doing that.”

Make sure that you and your boss have confidence in your abilities with these tips from Gilroy:

• Know what you’re responsible for, stick to that.
• Hit your targets and goals.
• Work well with people [co-workers and managers].
• Work with your manager to ensure that you’re on the right track, meeting expectations, aware of your surroundings, and having an impact.