How Many Times Does The Average Person Change Careers In Their Lifetime?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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The average person changes jobs

12 times

in their lifetime, according to the latest available public survey data (2019). The average employee stays with their employer for 4.1 years as of January 2020. However, this number varies slightly between women (3.9 years) and men (4.3 years).

How many jobs will the average person hold in their lifetime?

It turns out that the average person has

12 jobs

! And this is during a span of 32 years, which means the number is probably higher for a person’s entire lifetime. This number may be higher than imagined, but switching jobs due to better pay, benefits, company culture, and location are extremely common.

How often do successful people change jobs?

But switching to the right position can pay dividends both personally and professionally. The traditional perception that you have to stay at one company for a long time is gone. In fact, research shows that most professionals are now switching jobs

every 3-5 years

.

What is the average number of career changes?

The average number of job changes between 25 and 34 years old is

2.4

. From 35 to 44 years of age, the average decreases to 2.9 jobs, and then to 1.9 jobs from 45 to 52 years of age.

Is it bad to keep changing jobs?

This all boils down to the fact that

it is okay to change jobs frequently

. Changing them as often as every three to five years is definitely an accepted pace in today’s marketplace, and there are some professionals who are doing it as often as every two years.

How many jobs is too many?

Around 44% of managers will not hire a candidate that changes jobs too often. The majority of executives polled said that holding

six or more jobs within a ten-year span

is too much.

How many jobs will a millennial have in their lifetime?

Comparing similar interview rounds reveals the Millennial cohort held an average of 7.8 jobs from ages 18 to 30 while the Boomer cohort held an average of 8.6 jobs from ages 18 to 32. Millennials held

4.6 jobs

from 18 to 22 years old while Boomers held 4.4 jobs from 18 to 22 years old.

Which career areas will have the most job openings?

# Occupation Workers 2020 1 Cashiers, except gaming 171,990 2 Retail salespersons 162,690 3 Waiters and waitresses 146,620 4 Customer service representatives 110,840

Is it bad to leave job after 6 months?


If you receive a job offer from another company promising you better pay and a more advanced position

, this is a feasible reason for leaving after six months. If you like the company you currently work for, see if they can offer you a similar position and pay, if not, don’t feel guilty about taking another job offer.

How long should you stay in a job you hate?

In an ideal world, you should stay at each job for

a minimum of two years

. However, if you quickly come to realize you made the wrong choice when accepting a position, don’t feel obligated to stay at the company until your two-year anniversary.

How long should you stay at a job in your 20s?

In order to avoid that it’s best to spend your early 20’s job-hopping until you find your passion. Job hopping or leaving a position

within 2 years

is becoming the norm for the average 20-year-olds in the workforce. Millennials are refusing to remain in a dead-end job, for longer than they feel is necessary.

Why is job hopping bad?

So, the deal with job-hopping is this: It’s not necessarily an absolute résumé killer, but in many

fields it can make it a lot harder to get the jobs you want

. The reason for that is employers may assume that if you have a pattern of leaving jobs relatively quickly, you’ll leave them relatively quickly too.

Is 2 years enough in a job?

Experts agree that

you should stay at your place of employment

for a minimum of two years. It’s enough time to learn new skills and build your qualifications, while short enough to show that you value growing in your career.

Is it OK to change job every year?

Job hopping is fine, if it’s done for the right reasons and in the right way. … It’s one thing to change jobs every few

years

in order to earn more money, learn new skills or take on a fresh challenge.

What is the average number of careers a person has in a lifetime after 25?

Workers aged 25 to 34 years have an average of

4.5 jobs

. Workers aged 35 to 44 years old an average of 2.9 jobs. Workers aged 45 to 52 years have an average of 1.9 jobs.

Rachel Ostrander
Author
Rachel Ostrander
Rachel is a career coach and HR consultant with over 5 years of experience working with job seekers and employers. She holds a degree in human resources management and has worked with leading companies such as Google and Amazon. Rachel is passionate about helping people find fulfilling careers and providing practical advice for navigating the job market.