Elsa Angel Rose
A female influencer had recently sparked conversations online after sharing her decision to leave a high-paying corporate job to pursue content creation. In her Instagram post, she spoke about the fear, uncertainty, and risks involved in starting over despite earning Rs 50 LPA, and how she gradually built a new path. Reflecting on her decision, she wrote, “The day I quit my ₹50 LPA job… I was terrified. Everyone around me thought I was making a huge mistake. ‘Why would you leave a stable, high-paying job?’ ‘Content creation isn’t a real career.’ ‘What if it doesn’t work?’ And honestly… I had the same questions in my head.” Her story reflects a larger shift in how people view careers today, where staying in one place without growth can feel just as risky as stepping into the unknown.
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A NEW DEFINITION OF STABILITY IN A CAREER “For me, stability is no longer about having a fixed role or a predictable routine. It’s about having the skills, adaptability, and mindset to navigate change. If I can consistently create value and evolve with trends, that feels like real stability. I also see stability as financial and personal flexibility,” said Sachin. According to him, repetitive work has its own benefits. “Repetitive work can also be an opportunity to innovate by questioning the process, finding ways to optimise or automate tasks, and improving efficiency. When approached this way, even routine work can become engaging and contribute to greater productivity for both the individual and the organisation,” said Sachin.
A zigzag career is a non-linear career path where a person moves between different roles, industries, or skill sets instead of following a straight corporate ladder. Unlike traditional careers that focus on steady upward growth in one field, a zigzag path involves lateral moves, such as switching departments or even changing industries altogether. “People with diverse backgrounds bring a wealth of unique ideas that progressive companies can and should use to their benefit. Many traditional roles may cease to exist in the near future, and the status quo has shifted significantly post COVID. People have realised there is more to life than a monotonous job, leading them to explore various interests, including diverse career paths,” said Joel. Constant job hopping can be good or bad, depending on the intent and the frequency of quitting. “Quitting a job, if there is a valid reason, is not a problem, for example, for a better salary or career growth. However, when it is done too often without a clear purpose, it suggests a lack of stability and makes employers question the person’s commitment to a new workplace. Therefore, it is not justifiable in today’s world,” shared Dr Aida. Reiterating that quitting is not always a bad decision, Sachin shared, “It depends on the intent. If someone is switching to learn, grow, and find the right fit, it can be a positive move. However, without direction or commitment, frequent changes can hinder long-term progress.
IS STABILITY WITHOUT GROWTH REALLY MEANINGFUL?
Today’s generation does not value stability much. When one is offered stability in a job, boredom and repetitive work make youngsters feel an aversion towards the concept, while previous generations have been loyal employees for many organisations. “Stability is valuable, but when work becomes overly repetitive, it often leads to stagnation rather than a sense of security. Over time, the lack of challenge can reduce motivation and create boredom,” said Sachin Sutar, a young content creator from Velha. “Repetitive work creates boredom and leads to skill stagnation. Even when stability is guaranteed, the lack of new challenges inevitably leads to frustration. If these issues prevail, overall job satisfaction significantly decreases,” said Joel Vaz, another young working professional from Panjim. It is important to learn and grow, regardless of how long one has spent in a company or the type of job they do. “For me, stability means having a job that pays well, specifically a salary that aligns with market standards. The pay should comfortably cover my monthly expenses while leaving enough for investments and leisure. Additionally, the company should have progressive HR policies that provide a sense of security and make me think twice before considering leaving,” said Joel. When asked whether he would prefer stability over a growth opportunity, he replied, “I would choose growth over stability, especially if it comes with a financial incentive. I enjoy adventure and have a wide range of interests; if an opportunity seems exciting, I am ready to pounce on it.
AN IMPATIENT YOUNGER GENERATION
“Today’s younger generation is bored with stability that lacks growth. I feel it is not right; if one keeps changing jobs, they do not tend to gain deeper experience in a task, but instead gain only surface-level knowledge in the job at hand,” shared Dr Aida. She added, “To some extent, today’s generation has less patience for routine work. They prefer flexibility in this fast-paced modern world to routine work, which they find monotonous and boring.” The coming of AI has further exacerbated youngsters’ need for job hopping. “Technology has disrupted the idea of a secure job. While AI has created many new roles that may seem stable, it has also made job security feel uncertain and fragile. It compels people to keep up with changing times or risk becoming irrelevant in the market,” said Dr Aida
