Survey of Six Figure Earners Shows Why Focus Is Important

I've looked at a lot of resumes over the years, and for many people it would be easier to name what they haven't done than what they have done. Know where those resumes end up when they cross my desk?

In the circular file.

The Circular File

Photo by Steve Johnson on Unsplash

Including too many positions on your resume is one of the most common mistakes that I see when coaching people on how to revise their resumes. If you were washing dishes for your aunt on the side and you're interviewing for a technical position, it is probably best to leave that off your resume.

FOCUS: Follow One Course Until Successful

Changing jobs all the time, in general, is not a great idea if your goal is to build a successful career. Employers do not want someone who has changed jobs every three months. They are looking for someone who has a little stability in their lives and is likely to stick around after they dump truckloads of cash into getting them trained.

Employers want to know that you will stick around once they hire you.

That's why employers always ask why you left your last job during interviews. It's also why a popular resume screening rule of thumb is no more than three jobs in five years. If someone is changing jobs more often than that, they're a flight risk.

Survey of People Making Six Figures

I did a survey a while back on people who make at least $100,000. I asked how long they had been with their current company, and 201 out of 331 (61%) of respondents stated that they had been there at least five years.

Lesson?

It pays to stick with something for at least a few years before making a decision on whether to stay or move on.

When to Change Course

Interestingly enough, 87 (26%) of the respondents reported that they had been at their company for two or fewer years, so the rule of getting into one job and sticking it out for a lifetime is not hard and fast. I also wouldn't recommend continuing to flip burgers for the rest of your life if you want to make some serious cash.

It makes sense to change courses if you hate what you do, are not yet on a professional career path, or can get offers making double your salary as some of these people did when they decided to change.

Many of the respondents said that they had changed jobs several times before finding their current position. That's pretty easy to do when you're young; employers expect a high school kid to have several odd jobs, and if the job you're interviewing for is waiting tables, they aren't usually too picky.

As you get older and into a professional career, though, it gets looked down on more and more because it looks like a pattern. Don't change jobs or careers every time the wind blows if you want to be successful. But don't be afraid to make a change if you have been doing the same thing for ten years and are miserable either.

My suggestion?

Pick a course and stick with it. If you hate your decision after a few years or it is evident that your pay is stagnant and you're having trouble paying the bills, try something else. Whatever you do, don't spend your time looking through jobs all day rather than doing your work if you expect to get that raise.