What are your thoughts on holidaying to the same place year on year?

Last year, I was living down in Weymouth, and being new to the area I joined several Facebook groups, to ensure I stayed up to date with what was going on in the local area. The groups consisted of both locals and those who visit Weymouth for their annual holidays, and I was always a little amazed when people would post excitedly about their upcoming holiday to Weymouth, which is where they’d spend their two-week holiday for the past 25 years.

Now I appreciate that everything’s relative and some of us are fortunate to live in nicer areas than others, but I would describe Weymouth as ‘nice’, with a pleasant beach and lovely harbour (my favoured side of town). Regardless of how you view the town or any other holiday destination, what would possess someone to continue to visit the same place year on year when there’s a whole world out there to explore? My instant reaction is of confusion, surprise and overall negativity. But why do people choose to holiday in the same destination year on year?

·       Contentment – no desire to find somewhere better?

·       Convenience – easy to get to, or too much effort to research other holidays?

·       Fear – of booking another holiday which they enjoy less?

Is this thought process similar to when Linkedin automatically post celebratory work anniversary and it’s in double digits, sometimes starting with a 2 or 3!  The comments are always filled with congratulations and positive words. However, should we be celebrating longevity in the workplace or supporting greater change?

There are many recruiters who post negative comments about individuals who have a mixed employment history, with frequent job changes every one or two years and it’s often deemed as a negative trait. However, when you actually break it down and put it into perspective, there are typically 252 working days in the UK each year (when you exclude weekends and bank holiday). If you subtract a generous 25-day annual leave that leaves 227 days.  When you consider how much you can achieve in a single hour, then consider what you can achieve in 1,800 hours each year; I would suggest a great deal.

There are multiple reasons why a person may change jobs, some in and some outside their control, but as recruiters it’s our responsibility to drill down and ascertain the reasons why, not jump straight to inaccurate judgements.

There are many positives about hiring someone who has worked at multiple companies, the biggest being the knowledge that they can bring with them. Consider someone who has worked at your company for the past 10 years – whilst they may know your products and services inside out, they’ve only had an insular view of the market that they operate in. Someone who has worked at multiple companies has a far wider breadth of experiences, allowing them to often have a different perspective on challenges.

For those looking to fill a vacancy, look at someone with a varied job history as a positive and not necessarily a negative, especially if you’re someone who doesn’t go to the same holiday destination year on year! For those who are celebrating yet another work anniversary and each day is not filled with enjoyment, then perhaps it’s time for a change? We’re always happy to have an informal conversation and perhaps that’s all you need to give you the confidence to look for your next challenge?