Q: I was hired by the department manager, who seemed like a good guy. Several months later, he was demoted, and the job was turned into a joint position held by three people. It hardly seems fair to me. I know I am new, but I feel a sense of loyalty to him, since he finalized my hiring. If the company thought it was too much for one person to handle his job, he could have at least been allowed to stay in the position along with the new people. I wasn't at this company long, but long enough to see my boss was a good employee and a good manager.

Now, am I supposed to ignore him and just listen to the new people in his job? It all seems too weird, and upper management hasn't announced a word to us, which is also strange. I don't respect upper management that can't communicate with its employees.

A: Don't sabotage your job just because of what you have seen from management. Clear communication is key to well-run companies, but there is probably much you are unaware of regarding his management skills. It's great you respect him, and you should continue to, but you need to also respect the new employees who've been placed into that managing position. For all you know, he may have asked to be returned into a non-management position. It's not unheard of for people to be promoted because of a great work performance and then regret accepting the additional responsibility. People won't often admit to not liking a new management job, but a person who is in touch with his or her comfort level may feel more secure in being truthful about it.

You may never hear the whole story about what caused the change, and you don't need to. He decided to hire you, so your becoming a good hiring decision will still make him look good, even though he is no longer in management.

JOB HOPPING AND CAREER HOPPING CAN BECOME A NEGATIVE

Q: A close friend has changed careers five times and becomes dissatisfied soon after entering the new career. I have never loved my job and am now very bored by it. I would like to change careers, as she did (I admire her courage), but I also look at what has happened each time after she does it, and I worry about repeatedly making mistakes. Won't it look odd on my resume if I have unrelated jobs and fields, one after the other after the other?

A: Yes, it will be a warning flag to employers if you are always switching either jobs or fields. It shows that you don't stick to something long enough to give it a chance. It might also show you have ADHD that is untreated and have a short tolerance level.

If you commit to a job for several years and then switch, most people will think you have varied interests and abilities, and you are in the stage of finding yourself. There is no absolute time period where you cross from acceptable to unacceptable, and no one can stereotype you as a job hopper if you are continually adding to your knowledge bank and moving ahead in life. If, though, you repeatedly make lateral moves, spending a year here and there, you will damage your desirability as an employee.

Companies that have typically enjoyed long-term employees are discovering the costs and disadvantages in continually having to hire new employees. So, increase your knowledge and experience, change fields when you feel you must, keep count on the number of jobs you fill so you will never be considered a worrisome choice for a company.

Email your questions to workplace expert Lindsey Novak at [email protected] and follow her on Twitter @I_truly_care. To find out more about Lindsey Novak and to read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Website at www.creators.com.