Rate of Job Change 1

[TexasPwrEng]

Hello everyone,

I'm curious what your thoughts are on job changes. I like the idea of changing companies and locations, but don't want to be seen as a job hopper. What rate (1 job per 2 years, 3 years, etc) would you first begin to question hiring me? Now I don't mean a change in industry... I would be performing similar tasks and job functions, just with different companies.

I ask because my longtime girlfriend is soon going to graduate school. I myself have been out of school and working with the same company for 2 years. So potentially, I will be moving jobs after 2 years of my first job and (depending on whether we decide to move after she graduates), 3-4 years of my second job.

Any advice you could give would be very helpful. Thanks!

 

[TexasPwrEng]

I'd like to make a slight change on my numbers. It will be about 2.5 years with the first company, and 2.5 - 3.5 years of the second.

 

[Ron]

My history has, oddly enough, been an average of about 5 years...even when I've had my own businesses....I want to sell them or get out at about 5-yr intervals. Even with a company that I worked for 18 yrs, I needed a significant change about every 5 years.....anectdotal... don't put too much stock in it!!

 

[crossframe]

It may vary by industry, but I start to wonder when I see a long string of jobs at about 2 years each. Generally, I don't count it against anyone if they make an isolated geographical relocation. But if you move around the country every few years, I'll wonder what you're running from.

 

[KENAT]

The 2 year mark works for me as a rule of thumb, but it's all contextual.

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[JohnRBaker]

I'm afraid that I couldn't give you a fair review in a situation like that since in my case I've only held two professional positions, 14+ years with one company and currently just over 30 years with my present company. I'll be the first to admit that this is probably very unusual in this day and age, but when I was starting my career those 40 some years ago, that was the hope of many people, finding a place where you COULD spend a lifetime in a good solid job that you liked to do, and I have to admit that in both my jobs I was very satisfied both professionaly and personally, and the only reason I even made the change that I did 30 years ago, which required me to sell my house and move my family from Michigan to SoCal was because I got caught in a paradigm shift, in my case it was the introduction of CAD into our engineering office and that after 3 years I had the opportunity to move into what was the ground floor of a new technology and it has been a great ride so far ;-)

Anyway, back to the original issue, all I can say is good luck and lets hope the people you encounter during your interviews are more of your situation than mine.

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Design Solutions
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA

http://www.siemens.com/plm

http://www.plmworld.org/museum/

To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

 

[ctopher]

I don't think it's so much how often you change jobs, but why.

Chris
SolidWorks 10 SP4.0
ctopher's home
SolidWorks Legion

 

[pmover]

for what it is worth . . .

i read in an article once that most people in USA (based on education cycle) want change once/4-years (i.e. grade school, middle school, high school, college, etc. - change once/4-years). i know of no standard or expectation for one to make a change in employment as that solely an individual decision - your choice!

i suggest reading the book the "Peter Principle". i suppose that if you continue to improve/challenge yourself professionally/personally, then perhaps you need a change once/x-years as long as you do not reach your level of incompetence.

do listen/observe your fellow co-workers and other professionals you interact with and make a sound decision that is acceptable to you.

i do know of an individual (high-energy fellow mech engineer) that changed jobs frequently (<4-yrs/job. however, this individual is very smart and possesses a lot of usable/knowledgeable skills that is easily transferable between employers. as long as he does not "burn bridges", then the change is acceptable - at least to him and his employers!

so, good luck!
-pmover

 

[IRstuff]

I would put the threshold at 2 yrs, at which time I would look much more carefully at the job history and whatever information there is to be had. I would typically like to see at least one job that's much longer, saym 5 years to balance the mix out.

My main issue would be that anyone that flighty might be flighty on my job, which would put me in the position of having to go through the hiring process all over again in two years. Resumes that show only about a year per job, I don't even bother to read beyond the employment dates.

TTFN

FAQ731-376
Chinese prisoner wins Nobel Peace Prize

 

[looslib]

When I was laid-off as the result of the company losing a contract bid, they put us through outplacement trainig for 3 days to brush up on our resume writting and interview skills. The person conducting the class said the average person will change jobs every 5 years.

2.5-NY, 4.5-MD, 4.5-AZ, 4.5-AZ, 12-PA, 3-TX, 1.5-TX, .5-TN and counting
(the 1.5 was a contract position)



"Wildfires are dangerous, hard to control, and economically catastrophic."

Ben Loosli

 

[IRstuff]

Obviously, one's mileage may vary. That's not unlike trying to find the average family with their 2.5 kids.

TTFN

FAQ731-376
Chinese prisoner wins Nobel Peace Prize

 

[cvg]

do it now while you have the opportunity. Once you get married, buy a house, have kids it gets much harder. By the time kids are in middle school you should be prepared to stay somewhere until they all graduate HS unless you really enjoy listening to the whining and crying...

 

[jfpe]

I think the perception varies widely by industry. My length of time with employers goes 5 years, 3 years, 2 years, 3 years, with two of those changes being due to companies going under and one being due to a move.

I had an interview at a municipal water utility where they were obviously concerned I was flighty followed by one and a younger technology company where they thought I looked very stable.

-John

 

[KENAT]

Chris, sadly, the 'Why' isn't always clear in a typical resume or job history etc. So judgments get made on the available info.

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[IRstuff]

Then again, there are the ones that actually are job hoppers, because they either get bored or are afraid of getting found out for the low-lifes they actually are.

I recall such a resume, but we were desperate for warm bodies, but it turned out that was pretty much all there was to him; he showed up around 10 and left around 3, and typically had, during his short tenure, about a 3 hr lunch. Since there were only 3 people in the entire plant with similar job descriptions, he was easily found out and didn't get to quit on his own.

TTFN

FAQ731-376
Chinese prisoner wins Nobel Peace Prize

 

[moltenmetal]

Never stay anywhere longer than 2-3 yrs in a 20 year career and I'm going to wonder why. In fact, I'm probably NOT going to wonder why, because I already see you as the reason. Instead, I'm probably going to chuck your resume and move on to someone who is more dependable.

 

[ctopher]

moltenmetal,
That is my point.
I have moved a few times in a short period and the hiring manager asked me why. If he/she doesn't like the answer to why someone moved on, no hire. If you worked for a company for a year, then to another for another year, because you simply didn't like the company, it will likely show.

Chris
SolidWorks 10 SP4.0
ctopher's home
SolidWorks Legion

 

[moltenmetal]

There's always a reason, or perhaps it might be better referred to as an excuse. When it happens four or five times in a row, the more likely reason is already evident.

 

[KENAT]

ctopher, the amount of resumes folks often get for jobs, they are often just looking for reasons to round file it. A string of short duration jobs is going to be a red flag so you may never get to explain.

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(probably not aimed specifically at you)
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[TexasPwrEng]

I think we're jumping a bit ahead. I don't mean I intend to be a serial job hopper... But for the next few years, it's a good possibility.

Will my resume be tossed aside, or will I be asked why I keep moving?