Out of everyone in my group of college friends, I was the only one who still had the same job two years after graduation. Everyone else had changed jobs once, twice, or even three times. So, I felt somewhat smug—as if I knew something they didn’t. Related:4 Steps To Break Your Job Hopping Habit It wasn’t until many years later that I understood the positive side of job hopping. It hit me when I suddenly discovered I had forced myself to stay in a job I hated for five years. If only I had just left at the very beginning when I realized it wasn't for me… maybe I wouldn't have wasted all that time being miserable. Of course, job hopping also involves a few pretty serious downsides. In order to make the best decisions in your career, it’s helpful to understand both the positive and negative aspects of bouncing around from one job to the next, and how it can impact your long-term goals.