为什么频繁跳槽是年轻一代实现财务稳定的关键 Why job hopping is the key to financial stability in younger generations

文章摘要：

    这篇文章的核心观点是：年轻人频繁跳槽并不一定是不忠诚，而是在现实经济环境下更理性的职业策略。专家认为，跳槽往往能带来更快的加薪和职业成长，但也要权衡 401(k) 匹配、带薪休假、医疗保障等长期收益。文章强调，真正的“财务稳定”不只是工资更高，还包括职业发展、福利和身心健康的平衡。

为什么频繁跳槽是年轻一代实现财务稳定的关键

Why job hopping is the key to financial stability in younger generations

Younger generations’ role in the professional world is one of transition – while older generations stay at a job for an average of anywhere from 1.8 to 2.9 years early in their careers, Gen Z averages 1.1 years.

But that’s not a bad thing, according to the September 2025 Randstad survey that highlighted Gen Z’s knack for changing jobs often.

The talent company’s polling of 11,250 respondents from 15 job markets around the world also found that the job hopping wasn’t for a lack of loyalty.

“They’re ambitious, adaptable, and searching for growth,” Randstad CEO Sander van’t Noordende said in the survey.

Younger generations can leverage job hopping as a way to boost their pay and secure financial stability in a time when the U.S. economy is on shaky ground amid fears over the war in Iran and rising inflation.

Younger generations are switching jobs much faster than previous generations 

Why switching can supercharge your pay

Job hopping often results in a pay raise for Gen Z several different reasons, according to experts.

“Job hopping has been proven to help stagnant employees obtain salary increases, either because a new employer is willing to negotiate, or because the current employer is willing to invest in your retention,” said career coach Dr. Hayley Haywood.

In some cases, a manager may want to give an employee a raise to keep them at the company but can’t because of company rules, said business consultant and branding expert Rob Tillman.

“Managers are often restricted by set parameters of how much they can raise an employee's salary, so where you started in salary often limits your pace of increases,” Tillman, who founded business and career consultancy Unignorable, told The Independent in an email.

In some cases, employees can double their salary in just a few years, said Caroline Vernon, vice president of coaching development and engagement at career transition firm INTOO.

Tillman worked with a millennial client who moved from a company paying her $50,000 a year to a new role paying $75,000. Within two years, she moved companies again for a $100,000 salary.

“If she had stayed at her first company, it would have taken her many more years to reach that earning potential (if at all!) due to the company’s policy on salary percentage increase from one role to the next,” Vernon told The Independent in an email.

How much more can younger workers earn? Experts say the range is anywhere from 150 percent to 30 percent.

Raise requirements

Gen Z and future Gen Alpha professionals should set the base pay raise at 15 percent to 20 percent for a lateral move, said Joel Marotti, senior managing partner at career coaching and resume writing service Vertical Media Solutions.

Moving for less might make sense “if the role is a great match for your future and gives you room to build and grow,” he said.

Taking a smaller pay bump for the right fit is part of Resume Genius Career Expert Lauren Mastroni’s rules for job hopping.

“A smaller increase can still be worthwhile if the opportunity offers accelerated career growth, more flexible working arrangements, or leadership experience,” Mastroni told The Independent by email.

Other experts say topping out at 20 percent is outdated, including Jan Hendrik von Ahlen, founder of career site JobLeads.

Younger generations should look for a pay bump of 25 percent to 30 percent because of the risk and personal cost involved in changing jobs.

“I believe that the classic 10-20% benchmark is outdated,” he told The Independent in an email. “A more honest pay increase value should cover four costs: the equity, the productivity tax of learning a new role, the internal promotion you could have earned by staying and a risk for unproven cultural fit.”

How to hop smartly

Generally speaking, experts say that job hopping does pay off. However, younger generations need to be smart about how they do it.

Moving to the same position at a different company might bump up your pay, but that extra cash may not be worth it if the new position offers no path forward to a better career, Marotti said.

“A 5% raise to move into something that builds toward wherever you actually want to be in ten years is often the better financial decision than a 25% raise that doesn't do that for you,” he said.

Younger workers need to consider the downsides of job hopping, too. Changing jobs every year to chase a bigger paycheck often means losing out on an employer’s 401(k) match and any paid time off the employee earned.

“A 15% bump on salary that costs you a year without a 401(k) match or the PTO you had earned over the years can actually be a pay cut if you do the math,” Marotti said.

That scenario brings up a key lesson for younger job hoppers – stability is more than just a bigger paycheck. It includes saving for retirement through a 401(k) and having health insurance that could protect you from significant financial losses from accidents or long-term sicknesses.

Younger generations shouldn’t be ashamed of their desire to earn more when the cost of living is skyrocketing and housing prices are near all-time highs.

“When younger workers are changing jobs, it's really not that they're being disloyal – they're responding rationally to a market where it just doesn't pay to be loyal the way it used to,” von Ahren said.

The psychological benefits of finding a job that has the right pay and culture are also important, said Sarah Noll Wilson, president of The Noll Wilson Group.

“For many younger workers, job hopping can create faster salary growth, expanded opportunities, greater flexibility, and the ability to find organizations that better align with their values, well-being, and desired lifestyle,” Noll told The Independent in an email.

As for older relatives or friends who may look down on younger generations’ comfort level with switching jobs? Don’t let them get to you, Noll said.

“Younger generations [have] entered a very different workforce,” she said. “They’ve watched companies downsize, automate, restructure and lay people off during economic uncertainty.”

“That doesn’t mean younger generations are less committed. Often, they’re simply less willing to sacrifice their health or growth for organizations that aren’t investing back in them.”