Working for one company after graduation (for about 30 years) vs changing jobs every 3-5 years ?? 2

[youngEngineer818]

Hello All,
I am a recent graduate who started working as a mechanical engineer in a pressure vessel manufacturing company. Its been about a year now and about a week ago, I noticed two people retired. They worked at this company for 35 years. Now, I am thinking If I should stay at this company, work my a$$ off and get a higher position in the company and get big raise OR I should change the company after 3 years. Because most people say if you want a big raise in salary (my initial is too low according to the research I did online for new graduate engineers). My question is: would you stay at one company or switch jobs? what are the advantages of what you would do? Will I get big raise If I work super hard and know the products at this company?

Thanks
New Engineer

 

[MartinLe]

Ask yourself this: If you would now decide wether to stay in the company or jump ships after three years, how would the decision affect you in those three years? In all likeleyhood not much. So why decide now?

Juast make sure to receive training (in the broades sense) etc. that's useful outside your specific company, so if you want to jump ship, you can.

Points that are important but that others have made better than I could: Understand the market you work in and what affects your employability, life is more than work and work is more than money.

 

[Mr168]

Granted it is largely industry dependent, but what I've found out after 7 years with my current employer, is that it's not taking 30+ years to be a "senior" employee anymore.

I have seen significant advancement in my current organization through attrition alone. When I look around at the entry-mid level management roles, many of them are just on the other side of the 5 year mark.

So, while a job swap may net you more cash, hanging in there for a few more years may net you advancement at an accelerated rate in some industries. That said, if you are with an employer you loathe, or have reached a point of stagnation of pigeon-holing where there is no advancement on the horizon, jumping ship is certainly worth a look.

 

[cry22]

I say one definitely needs to change a few times in his first 10 years, it helps seeing how things are done elsewhere, how green is the grass elsewhere, or appreciate your previous job, etc..
Technically speaking, you tend to learn more by being exposed to different kind of projects at different companies, you may learn more efficient ways, etc.. You also build a network for that recession if it ever hits you.