Job hopping was a quick path to a better salary — but could send your career off a cliff today

Monique Danao

Mon, Apr 21, 2025, 5:00 AM 4 min read

Changing jobs can feel like the fastest route to better pay and a fresh start.

For many, this was true during the “Great Resignation” of 2021. According to the Society for Human Resources Management, that year a staggering 47.8 million workers (or 4 million a month) left their jobs in search of higher wages or remote work opportunities.

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Fast-forward to 2025, and the path to success isn’t as straightforward.

While job hopping can help you build skills and grow your network, they don’t always lead to more enormous salaries in this cooling job market.

Changing jobs is a fact of life for most of us. In fact, according to the World Economic Forum, by 55, the average American will have switched jobs 12 times.

In a strong market, switching roles every year or two might lead to a 10% to 20% salary boost. That may sound appealing, given the median American salary is $61,984 per year.

But with inflation and slow wage growth, job hopping may not stretch your paycheck as far as you'd hoped.

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It can also make future employers think that you're a flight risk, especially if you’ve never stayed at a company more than a year. That might cost you a dream role, even if your resume looks impressive on paper.

And there are long-term financial tradeoffs. Retirement contributions may come with a vesting period for up to three years — meaning you might not get to keep all of your employer’s 401(k) match if you leave too soon.

Health-care benefits like extended parental leave, fertility treatment coverage or mental health coverage may also have waiting periods or eligibility conditions tied to your tenure.

On the bright side, staying with an employer long enough to build trust can also lead to internal promotions, mentorship or participation in high-impact projects. If you're starting over, these opportunities are hard to come by.

Here are a few things to consider before jumping into a new job.