Anupam Mittal, Shark Tank India judge and founder and CEO of People Group and Shaadi.com, has sparked a discussion online after urging people to stop criticising Gen Z professionals for frequently switching jobs. He shared his perspective in a LinkedIn post that quickly drew attention online.
“Let’s stop shaming GenZ for switching jobs,” Mittal wrote, adding, “I see a lot of ‘career gurus’ shaming 22-year-olds for switching jobs every year.”
According to Mittal, job-hopping can be a valuable phase of self-discovery. “Early in our career, we’re discovering our passion. We’re ‘dating’ industries, roles & cultures to find what vibes,” he said, adding that young workers should not feel guilty about leaving roles that don’t feel right. “If you not feeling it, move. Don’t feel bad about it. This is the time to explore,” he said. However, he emphasised that this flexibility should not become a long-term habit.
Calling it a “big but,” Mittal explained that once professionals identify the right path, they must “stop bouncing and start consolidating.” He revealed that while hiring for senior leadership roles, he often rejects resumes that lack at least one 4-to-5-year stint.
“Usually, one cannot see the consequences of their own decisions in 12 months. Year 1 - You're learning. Year 2 - You're executing. Year 3 - You’re dealing with the mess in Year 2 and scaling the wins," he wrote.
Mittal also proposed a timeline for young professionals: explore aggressively between the ages of 21 and 24, then commit to a company for at least 4 years after turning 25.
"If you want to be a Founder or a CEO, you need to prove you can stay in the kitchen when it gets hot. It takes 1 year to understand a job but 3-5 to understand an industry. Thats when you win," he concluded.
Social media reactions
The post resonated with many LinkedIn users, several of whom shared their own experiences.
One user wrote, “I resigned today for this exact reason. I realised I never gave myself enough time to truly explore what kind of role, environment, or position works best for me, and building my own thing felt like the right way to do that. Thanks for sharing!”
“This nails the nuance most career advice misses movement early is learning, but staying long enough to see outcomes is where real growth and leadership are forged,” commented another.
“Totally agree on exploring early, but I’ve seen some people figure out their niche faster through side projects than job switches,” wrote a third user.
“Gen Z's job-hopping is smart exploration, not disloyalty. Commit once you find your fit; that's where depth builds leadership,” commented another.