Welcome to another installment of “On Trend”! This week we’re exploring the rise of job hugging, where employees are hanging on to their roles for security and stability. In a labor market that’s cooled on big jumps, job hopping has been firmly benched while job hugging steps into the spotlight.
Instead of leaping to a new role every 18–24 months, more security professionals are clinging to their current jobs with white knuckle determination, not out of passion, but self preservation. The market feels shaky and, while some great security jobs are still out there, hiring has cooled. In that kind of storm, even the bold are saying, “You know what? I’m staying put…for now.”
At its core, job hugging is what happens when career swagger meets uncertainty.
For years the mantra was simple: level up. This meant staying on the move and chasing titles while keeping an eye out for over-the-top total comp packages. Now the vibe has flipped. Budgets are tight and layoffs keep popping up in your feed. Engagement is sliding, angst is rising, and that big Great Resignation energy has quietly morphed into something else entirely: the Great Hesitation.
That hesitation isn’t irrational. It’s self defense. When the security job market looks wobbly, staying put feels less like playing it safe and more like basic survival. The very people who’d usually be scouting their next big move are now holding fire waiting for a unicorn offer, a serious pay jump, or a clear sign their company’s ship is sinking. Until then, they’re picking stability over drama.
The twist? Fear doesn’t just freeze people; it shoves them into overdrive.
Plenty of job huggers are working harder than ever. They hit every meeting, say yes to everything including bad corporate strategy, and put on a big show of loyalty in the hope they will be too valuable to lose. We’ve also seen senior level managers decimate their security teams in a short-term attempt to save their own jobs over others’.
This behavior can buy a bit of short term safety, but the price tag is steep. Burnout, resentment, and a slow leak of motivation are typical results. When you’re only staying to feel safe, work stops being the security career you’re building and starts feeling like something you’re just surviving.
Job hugging has upsides if you use this phase intentionally instead of passively.
- Stable income and benefits while the market resets.
- Time to be more selective and thoughtful about your next move.
- A chance to deepen skills, relationships, and internal credibility.
The downside of clinging too hard?
- Feeling stuck or trapped, rather than genuinely committed.
- Overcompensating to “prove” your value, which feeds burnout.
- Career stagnation if you stop learning, stretching, or networking.
Your move!
If this sounds like you, the answer isn’t to ditch the hug, it’s to sharpen it. Use the stability to level up your skills, build influence on the inside, and quietly get ready for the move into your next security role. You can stay and still advance. Just don’t confuse being careful with being stuck.
About On Trend
Want to stay on top of the latest trends in security careers? Every other week SJN highlights a hot topic we just can’t seem to stop talking and hearing about. From top news stories to exclusive insights, we’ll break things down for you and help you stay on top of the professional security jobs market.
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