Job hopping for better wages no longer pays off the way it used to, ADP analysis says

Once upon a time (a few years ago), if you wanted to rapidly increase your salary, the best way to do it was “job hopping”: bouncing up the career ladder to leverage better pay and benefits. This is a particularly effective tactic when the labor market is tight, such as during the COVID pandemic, because employers are willing to stretch themselves for the talent they need.

In 2026, that’s no longer the case. Economists have been picking over the low-hire, low-fire jobs market for the best part of a year...