How long is it appropriate to work for one employer?
When I started my first job after school at a small local agency, a project manager once said something like: “If someone has three companies on their CV and stayed less than a year in each, it doesn’t look good.”
I took that to heart. I tried to stay longer in every role, so I wouldn’t seem unreliable, even in underpaid jobs I didn’t enjoy. I endured it just to make my CV look “stable.” In hindsight, it was a little bit stupid. (Sometimes a waste of time.)
Eventually, I found myself working on multiple projects at once. In a relatively short time, I gained more diverse, hands-on experience across different areas. That’s when I realised my manager valued the traditional path: a stable 9–5 and rewards based on years spent in one company.
But today, I see 19-year-olds with more real project experience and skills than some 30-year-olds who’ve simply stayed in one job without pushing themselves.
There’s also this common idea that you should switch jobs every ~7 years (long enough to master something, but also long for getting crazy) :D
How long should you stay with one employer, or how often should you change jobs?
[At this point, I no longer believe in loyalty to an employer, it’s a transactional relationship, and when a company decides you no longer fit their costs, they’ll simply cut you from the budget.]
Replies
I think it depends on the game you’re playing and mostly on the field you’re in.
If you’re playing the corporate game, I’d stay at a company for at least 2–3 years. Loyalty helps you climb the hierarchy there, and it’s a huge loss if you leave every year. So I’d even stay up to 5-7 years. Okay, yes, you might miss out on some salary updates. But you can significantly increase your level and compensation with your next move.
If I’m playing in smaller companies, it’s clear that skills matter most. That’s where you can truly master the craft, take on more responsibilities, and move toward building something of your own.
But it all depends entirely on what game you’re playing and what your end goal is.
If an employer does good everything with me I can be with that employer my entire life.
but they dont usually. So I think we should change job in every 3 years, cause 2 years is for knowing the employer well, what they thinks, how they thinks, then more 1 year is max. In this time they will know you well more than you knows them. They will try to find alternatives very soon. Easy! either you should leave or they will replace you.
totally relate to this, I have 25 years of practice across architecture, design, creative direction, contemporary art and now building a web product! the "horizontal path" gets questioned constantly but the cross-disciplinary thinking is exactly what makes the work different. the CV stability thing is a proxy for something nobody actually knows how to measure
It depends on your situation. If you're young and starting out - how many student and/or internships did you do with the promise - if you work out, this could turn into a permanent job. Very few do - it's a filter mechanism or nepotistic practice. It's a tough gig for students.
Where it counts - entering mid level career choices - demonstrating continued building of responsibilities and technical capabilities is what employers want. They want to know - is this person dedicated and do they have the hutzpah to learn new things.
In answering your question though, if the job is fruitful, you are recognized and the company demonstrates promotion of individual that deserve it - stay and become a "valued contributed" (gag me now). If you feel you are being taken advantage of you probably are - be smart, don't be disgruntled, make a plan and at the first good opportunity - hasta la vista baby.
People don't quit jobs, they quit their leaders/managers. Good managers know this but most don't. A great leader can mean everything in a job. They just have a way of working with you to get you do your best.
So circling back to your question about "loyalty to an employer" - I can tell you from experience abroad, North America is the most corporatized continent on the planet and your observation is bang on. For employees my advice is learn learn learn and take chances on yourself. Form like minded groups, talk about ideas, promote each other and never ever give up. Be humble, be inventive, be kind to others that are not as good as you and always watch your back.