Job-hopping: the new normal for millennials

Research has shown that those from the post-95 generation are spending just months in their first job before quitting, and experts have urged companies to adjust their strategies if they want to stem the exodus of talent

Feng Chao may have only been in the workforce for two years, but she is already in her third job, something that would be considered a rarity for people from the older generations.

The Beijing native, who earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in the United States, spent just six months at her first job in a financial institution and a year at the State-owned securities company she subsequently joined.

"The first job was not challenging enough and the internal structure of the institution kept changing. For the second job, I didn't think that I would have good career prospects there," said the 28-year-old.

Feng's penchant for job-hopping is hardly novel among people of her generation. A report by professional networking website LinkedIn — it was based on data gathered from 150,000 LinkedIn users on the Chinese mainland — revealed that those born after 1995 spend an average of only seven months in their first jobs.

In contrast, those born in the 1980s spent about three and a half years in their first job. Those born in the 1970s were the most loyal of the lot at four years and three months.

In July 2017, a report published by MyCOS, an education consulting and research institute in Beijing, also posted similar findings — one in three college graduates in the country quit their first jobs within six months in 2016.

Social and education experts attributed this phenomenon to the fact that those from the younger generation are born and raised in a more open environment, which has enabled them to be more independent and in tune with their values and goals in life.

Some experts have also pointed out another reason — today's job seekers have greater access to opportunities in the job market, which makes job-hopping easier.

"The moment they realize that the actual work is inconsistent with their expectations, many from the younger generation will not hesitate to look for other job options," said Zhou Haiwang, deputy director of the institute of population and development at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences.

"To them, staying true to their feelings and attaining job satisfaction is of paramount importance."

Zhao Ming, 25, recently quit his first job at a public relations agency after being in it for just nine months. For Zhao, it was the frustration of having to redo plans repeatedly to satisfy his boss and client that led him to quit his job.

"I only have two expectations for the initial years of my career path: finding a guide who can really help with my career development, and seeing results and gains," said the native of Liaoning province in Northeast China.

Zhang Jingyi, the human resources head at LinkedIn China, added that this phenomenon is because young people who grew up in the internet age or have studied abroad are more open-minded and willing to try new things. This new mindset marks a shift from the previous one where most people sought to begin their careers in renowned companies.

This is exactly the case for Feng, who is currently working in a small investment agency with a staff strength of just 10. What is more important, she said, is that the salary is competitive, her boss is competent, and there are sufficient opportunities for growth in the workspace.

Another reason why young people are job-hopping so frequently is the rapid development of the technology sector, which has in turn given birth to many new roles that the post-95 generation find interesting.

The LinkedIn report echoed this point, stating that more than one-third of post-95 graduates have entered the internet and financial industries. Just five years ago, only a quarter of post-90 graduates joined such industries.

"During my four years in college, the internet changed our lives dramatically. New sectors such as shared economy and blockchain have since emerged, and some of my peers have gone on to chase these new trends," said Zhao.

Zhang Xin (alias) is one such person who was attracted by the vibrancy in these new segments within the tech industry. The graduate of Nanchang Aviation University in Jiangxi province started her first job last summer at the Beijing-based company behind Douyin, a popular domestic short-video app.

"By being in this job, I can keep in touch with the latest ideas and developments in the internet industry. I was very curious about the internet industry and had always wondered who are the people working in it. That's why I joined," she said.

Feng feels that many of her former schoolmates are working in the internet and finance sector because they tend to pay higher salaries.

"Compared with State-owned enterprises and banks, new or small firms have more active cultures and less administrative tasks so this means we get to learn more and climb the ranks faster," she added.

Experts have also pointed out that factors such as greater financial support and easier access to freelancing opportunities have also contributed to the job-hopping phenomenon.

While changing jobs too frequently would affect both a company's productivity as well as an employee's credibility, human resource managers have suggested that the onus is more on employers to adapt to the current trends instead of expecting millennials to become more loyal like those from the older generation. After all, according to estimates by Daxue Consulting, 75 percent of China's workforce would be made up of millennials in 2025.

Chen Zhiyun, the vice president of human resources at Pier 88 Health, a Hangzhou-based, foreign-funded enterprise specializing in digital health, noted that companies should ensure that the job information they provide during the hiring process is as accurate as possible to avoid miscommunication.

"The talent count in a company will only stay stable when employees' perceptions of the employer is aligned with what they were told as well as their expectations," he said.

Guo Shuang, a human resource professional, added that companies today need to adjust the way they manage and support young employees if they wish to retain talent.

"The post-95 people grew up with the internet which allows them to take the initiative in searching for information, while many of their superiors in the workplace — those born a decade ago — grew up in the age of TV, a one-way channel to obtain information," said Guo.

"So what enterprise managers did in the past — teaching employees what and how to do things and pointing out their faults — may not work for the youngsters today. The employer needs to support them with the right resources and environment so that they can grow and succeed. These two parties have to work together."

Contact the writer at zhouwenting@chinadaily.com.cn.