'Lily padding' is the trending job term that describes workers who hop from one opportunity to the next in pursuit of career growth. (Envato Elements pic)PETALING JAYA: There was a time when staying with one employer for decades was considered the surest route to career success. Today, however, many young professionals are taking a very different approach.Rather than waiting years for promotions, they are moving strategically from one role to another to gain new skills, broaden their experience and, ultimately, land the job they really want.The trend has even earned a name: "lily padding".
According to a BBC report, the term describes workers who treat each role like a lily pad, hopping from one opportunity to the next in pursuit of career growth rather than climbing a traditional corporate ladder.Indeed, research suggests younger generations are becoming increasingly comfortable changing employers. A 2024 global survey by recruitment agency Randstad found Gen Z employees stay in their first jobs for an average of just 1.1 years, compared with 1.8 years for millennials and almost three years for older generations.The appeal isn't always about chasing the biggest pay cheque: many younger workers say they are looking for faster career progression, opportunities to learn new skills, greater flexibility and work that feels meaningful.Author and workplace expert Adam Smiley Poswolsky told the BBC that his own career had taken him through government, education, politics, non-profit organisations and creative industries before he eventually found success as an author and keynote speaker.Looking back, he says every seemingly unrelated role helped build the skills he relies on today.The Malaysian pictureThe trend is also reflected closer to home: a 2022 LinkedIn survey showed that many professionals no longer see career progression as a simple climb up the corporate ladder. Instead, employees are increasingly choosing non-linear career paths that allow them to build transferable skills across industries.LinkedIn Malaysia country manager Rohit Kalsy told FMT in 2023 that professionals are defining their own version of career success rather than following traditional routes.JobStreet Malaysia managing director Vic Sithasanan, meanwhile, noted that workers are becoming more willing to upskill and pursue better opportunities.
Salary still matters, but so do flexible wor…
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