What's the longest you want to stay at a job?

N2IT

I realize this is very subjective, but from your view point how long do you want to stay at a job? 1 year, 2 year, 3 year? I asked a similiar question a few months back but it in actuality it was very different. I asked what's the shortest you want to stay at a job and I believe most people said one year.

So on the flip side of that what is the longest? I am thinking between 3 - 5 years, but again this can be subjective. If you are a CEO or executive making million dollar annual bonuses, then you probably want to stay forever.

But for most common folk, system admin, desktop tech, project manager etc.

LionelTeo

Im sure everyone would want to stay as long as possible given the ideal condition; Good Culture, Manager, Pay Increment, Recognition of Effort, Career Progression.

But sadly, after 1 years + with the company, it become clear on the short coming of the company, and therefore given no choice then we move on to a better position else where.

Reason varies; but I am sure no one move because of the number of x years working for the company.

Iristheangel

Prior to this job, I would say that I would jump every two years. I started to feel siloed and like I wasn't learning anything else after 2 years so I would jump ship to a better position.

I'm finally at a point and a job where I think that if I stay at my current job for 5-10 years, I'll be safe from being siloed and will still be learning. It all depends on the job, the title, the amount I'm learning, and the company for me.

UnixGuy

On average 2 to 4 years. It depends on your career goals.

gorebrush

Longest I've been in a job is 2.5 years. Did that stretch twice. I've been in the same company, currently for nearly 4 years, but moved jobs just before 2 year mark.

I am more than happy to be here for another 1-2 years in my current post as I work night shifts and it allows me a LOT of study time. I am planning a 2nd CCIE after #1 and maybe some VMWare certification to round out my already wide skill base. That or I might go mad and do a 3rd CCIE.

Trifidw

I've been at my current place for nearly 6 years, going from the junior > normal > senior network engineer in that time. Despite just doing the networking and IPT side of things I have a huge amount of variety which keeps things very interesting which I know I wouldn't get if I worked in the city.

DevilWAH

So far,
Company = nearly 10 years
Job = 2-3 years

I think 2 - 3 years once established is a reasonable time between jobs on average. Considering 8-12 months is the time that is takes get in to role completely. (2 to 3 months settling in and another 5 - 6 to fully adapt to the work and form good relation ships with co workers) 2 years shows to potential future employees that you will stick at a role long enough to be useful.

Until i find the perfect job I will continue to move on at around the 2 to 3 year mark, but may be one day I will find my dream job and stick at it until I retire. Generally I work in a job until the point I start outgrowing it and then start looking to move on. This way I find I have never been desperate to get out of a job, so have been looking and applying for new work while still happy at my current employers.

SecurityThroughObscurity

as long as I am getting paid less.

networker050184

It's a hard question to answer. It really depends on the role. Supporting the same old systems and fixing the same old problems? I wouldn't stay more than a couple years. Designing new technologies and staying on the cutting edge? I could see myself spending a lot of time in that role.

xenodamus

At this point, I'll stay as long as I'm learning things that increase my value as an engineer.

I'm currently in my first real System/Network Admin role and have a lot of data center technologies to learn.

N2IT

There are two major elements at play for me.

Is my pay increasing annual, hopefully past 3%

Am I honing my skills that I have and learning additional ones which are making me more marketable and valuable.

BTW Great responses

Deathmage

I think 2 to 3 years is a good stint.

If I stop learning and get to a point were my employer won't let me grow from within the company or handle more tasks then it's more or less time for me to go else where. I've realized as of the late you work for yourself not for a company since a company will sell you down the river in a heartbeat...

cyberguypr

My timeline goes like this:

7 years
5 years
3 years (current)

At the first job I stayed that long because it was a great company, with great benefits in a bad market. It never stopped been fun and I never stopped learning. Second company I was extremely underpaid but offered upward mobility. Changed position 3 times in 5 years. Current company remunerates well, ha smany perks, is very flexible, fun, and values employees. There's lots of investment in IT so there's always something new to fondle. Hope to stay here for a while until is stops being fun or I feel the challenge is not there anymore.

TheProf

For me, around 3 years is a good time. Of course however, if you're moving up the ladder than 5 years is a good number too.

One thing you have to realize, is that doing the same job for 5 years is not really ideal for someone who's career oriented, someone who's interesting in moving up to more complex higher paying roles. That's if there's no opportunity, and I've seen this happen many times. It also depends on how good you are at your job, sometimes you have to create opportunity, other times it's right in front of you.

RouteMyPacket

I stay as long as criteria are being met

1. Experiencing new technologies, designs
2. Room for growth
3. Support me in my goals (be it projects surrounding specific technology, study/certification etc.)

If those are met, i'm good. Go against any of those three and cya

ande0255

You forgot browsing techexams forums on your list there RouteMyPacket ^

scaredoftests

It's tough out there trying to find a job! I'd like to stay in one now for 10 more years (though I do want to work until the day I die.. LOL)

FloOz

I agree with most of the comments made here. That is why I feel working at a VAR/MSP would be awesome since you have different projects to work on constantly. As well as all the training at your disposal.

IS3

In my opinion, personality plays a role in deciding to stay or to find a promising career. some folks are passive and some just want to learn everything.

Thexzeno

Wait, so a basic help desk job is ok to stay at for 2 years? ewwww

IS3

I had a former co-worker who is still in the Help Desk for 5 years... and he is so arrogant about his Degree..

SteveLord

Almost 6 years here (government). Building up a nice retirement, great flexibility and the free health insurance is hard to beat elsewhere. I will probably move to another department at some point, but I want to secure a reclassification (promotion) here first.

tpatt100

I kinda just want to end up being surprised at how long I have been at a job rather than be concerned about it.

N2IT

@ tpatt IMO this is/was a great strategy but I am afraid time has passed this by, if cash is a concern.

The biggest raise you usually will get is the negotiations that go into the start of a new position. While this is not always true, it is usually true, while 5 - 7% is excellent while you are in a current role, 20%+ is not unheard of at all transitioning from one job to another.

JMHO

philz1982

2 years is about all my ADHD mind can handle....

Priston

I'd love to find a job I could stay at for 10+ years, but I don't think that's going to happen. No matter how many times I tell them, managers don't seem to understand that when they give me more responsibilities, I should be getting more pay.

philz1982

I also, really, really want to encourage the folks on here to look outside traditional IT jobs and to consider merging fields to create their own technology role. Working in the HVAC (Air Conditioning) industry has been fantastic for me, as the amount of IT centric folks in this field is small. If you can find a way to take something your passionate about, for me it's buildings and engineering, and combine that with something you seem to have an innate talent for, for me that is technology. You can find yourself, getting a really high paying job and being challenged at the same time.

I just got to present to a major oil/gas company around how to engineer a converged network and got to perform a multi-faceted stress test involving virtual machines, vulnerability assessments, network capture, and multi-protocol data flows. It was awesome, and something I wouldn't be able to do in a traditional IT job.

Not tooting my own horn, just wanted to help those who may seem stuck to realize how they can connect their passions or other experiences with an IT role. If any of you have any questions around this approach feel free to messaging me, this is something I love helping others figure out.

-Phil

mokaiba

I try to stay as long as possible or until the pay can no longer support cost of living increases.

I went:

3 years six months (military)
-three year break from work-
4 years (doing financial work)
-several small contract jobs over a few months- (financial work)
current job (IT job) -> about 4 years now