When I first started at my current employer, I sat next to a project manager. Eventually she moved on to a new position and was going to work-from-home full-time. On her last day we were talking about various things and she said she had one piece of career advice for me: never stay in a job more than two years.
Her reasoning for this advice was simple: you don’t want to get stuck in one group and only know about that specific function. An important piece of background information is that we work in one of the biggest companies in the United States and inevitably each employee and department works on a pretty specific job function.
At the time this advice seemed to make sense. Ironically, though, I have been in the same job for exactly two years now and I do not plan on applying for a new job in the foreseeable future. I’m flat out not following her advice.
Why I am not switching jobs after two years
My career so far has looked like this:
- Internship – 3 months
- Part time work during my last semester of college – 4 months
- Entry-level accountant – 11 months
- Senior-level accountant – 24 months
As you can see, now would be the perfect time to make a lateral move to another role at the same job level. I’ve been in the same department since I interned and have gained some useful experience. If I move laterally I would be in a good position to move up to the next level in another couple years.
One problem with simply looking at these numbers and applying a hard rule such as switch jobs every two years is that careers shouldn’t be looked at in a vacuum. There are many variables to consider when deciding when to move to a new job voluntarily.
Interestingly enough, six months ago I was prepping myself to start applying to jobs after I hit the two-year mark. While I was finding ways to challenge myself through learning new software, the day-to-day work wasn’t challenging me.
Recently, though, I got pulled into a new project related to Health Care Reform that is new, challenging, and somewhat high profile. I’m being given the opportunity to learn new software and dig into some of the more data-intensive work that I’ve been more drawn to.
This begs the question: why switch now? I think if you are challenged, learning new things, and/or genuinely enjoy the work you are doing there is no reason to feel like you have to switch after two years.
Under what conditions should you follow the two-year rule and switch jobs after two years?
There are certainly times when I would advocate following the two-year rule. After all, there are many people who have moved into their dream roles by switching jobs relatively frequently.
Some of these conditions would be:
- Large Company – While I just explained why I am not planning on switching after two years in my current position, generally it makes sense to move around more if you work at a big corporation. Even if you switched every two years, you’d still likely only be exposed to a small portion of the company.
- Desire to be a VP or higher – This again depends on the company you work at. If you work at a large company, sometimes the VP-level or higher positions are given to those who have exposure to other areas of the company. Again, this is not always true.
- Boredom – As I’ve written in the past, one of my pet peeves is bored employees who have “nothing to do”. If you try hard enough you will always find a way to add value to your employer. With that being said, sometimes work can become mundane and you desire an entirely new challenge. This is the ideal time to look for a new job.
- I hate my job! – If you hate the work you are doing or your boss and people you work with make your life miserable, start applying. Life is too short to work a job you despise.
There are many situations where it makes sense to switch jobs every two years, but there are also many situations where it makes sense to stay in a current job longer than two years – sometimes much longer. Careers, jobs, and work in general cannot be viewed in a vacuum. There are other factors to consider before jumping the gun and leaving your current position simply because you hit two years.
What are your thoughts? When does it make sense to switch jobs and when does it make sense to stay in your current role?
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First photo by Victor1558
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Well, I’m entirely out of the loop on this one. I’ve been at the same job for 15+ years. I think it does depend on your ambitions like you said. I wouldn’t switch jobs just to switch jobs.
Brian @ Luke1428 I think there are many people who get in a role that fits what they are looking for and see no need to switch jobs or companies. My Dad got a phd in chemistry and has essentially been in the same or similar role for years and years. It’s what he went to school for and it’s what he wants to do. He did get promoted recently, but it required the approval of the head of Europe, Asia, and North America. As you can see chemists don’t have a lot of different levels of jobs ;)
My sister works in software and probably changes jobs every two years. I think she gets sick of her coworkers or something. It always seems like a bad idea but it has actually worked out fine for her.
Holly at ClubThrifty Haha I would get sick of always having new coworkers, though I can definitely see how your coworkers can drive you crazy and cause you to look for a new job. I have heard that switching often is something that many software do.
I think if it allows you to grow in a certain area, wanting to try something else out or you want to learn about other areas of the company it might make sense to look. I think it needs to be balanced with patience though as you don’t want to miss out on something that you may get a chance on by staying. My younger brother has switched 2-3 times in the same company since being out of college for five years and it seems to have worked out for him.
FrugalRules I agree about the balance. I might even have started to interview for other jobs if I didn’t get pulled into some of the new work on my team. You have to look at the direction your team is taking as well and if there won’t be room for growth it might be time to look elsewhere.
It does sound like you’re in a great position right now, taking on new projects and learning more programs. As long as you’re gaining knowledge and experience, I don’t see a problem prolonging your stay. I’ve never worked for a huge company before, but having the freedom to transfer around to different departments is something nice to take advantage of when the time comes. Having worked for smaller companies, I got the advantage (sometimes disadvantage) of taking on multiple roles, which can be challenging, as you’re learning different responsibilities. I would have a slight fear of being labeled as a job-hopper, as potential employers might view switching things up every few years as a negative. Wanting to challenge yourself seems like a good reason, though!
JourneytoSaving I think as long as you can explain WHY you switch jobs and have a story that makes sense you can put any fears that potential employers have to rest. I’ve thought about working for a small or medium business but now that I’m at a large company it might be hard to make the transition. I like the idea of having multiple roles since I have multiple interests, but it would have to be the right opportunity.
I would say do what makes you happy. If you are satisfied in your role and have challenging projects, I see no reason to force yourself to move, but if you are unhappy or dissatisfied, or perhaps want more money, then look for something else. I don’t think there are any rules.
Beachbudget I like the way you think. Too often I think people “overthink” their careers. Things can change quickly and there is no blueprint to success. Plus, success is relative to each individual. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
I think you’ve got a great list of reasons as to why it would be time to switch jobs, and Rick is kind of following that list. I also think you’re smart for staying put now – seems like you’re in a great position to gain some awesome experience, and you’re happy, so why move now?
Laurie TheFrugalFarmer My thinking exactly! If I’m put in a position where I’m bored and not learning new things, or just feel like it’s the right time to move on, I will consider moving on. Otherwise I might as well stay where i am and continue to learn.
I have been employed for the same company for close to 7 years. Though it is the same company, I have moved into different positions. I am now in one that allows me to think and do many different things. It allows me to expand my knowledge base. I wouldn’t follow the 2 year advice unless you really hate your job.
DebtRoundUp Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I think it makes sense to focus on learning new skills and developing the ones you have, as well as doing work you enjoy. I know sometimes you have to do work you dislike to do work you do like, but it’s important to reflect on what you want and what you have to do to get there.
I’ve had exactly ONE job since I graduated from college – 17 years and counting. My job is one that to really make a career out of it, you need history and experience over the long run. To get to the top, you have to be able to guide the business, and you can’t do that without having the history of where it’s been in order to have the foresight of where to take it next. I hope that I retire from the very job I started my career with!
DebtChronicles Yes some IT jobs seem to work that way ;) My Dad is a chemist and he’s stayed in essentially the same role for a few decades now, though he has moved up a level (there aren’t many levels for chemists, the same work is going to be done regardless of the name of your position).
I have always heard the opposite! Never stay at a job for less than 2 years unless there was something extremely wrong with it. It clutters your resume and makes you look like you are not loyal or have a hard time settling down. No one wants to hire someone with a resume three pages long!
That being said, I’ve been at my job for 3 1/2 years and I am ready to break out ASAP.
fitisthenewpoor 3 1/2 years sounds about right. I have not heard the opposite, other than the 1 year rule where you need a really good reason to leave a job before a year is up.
I am getting worried that I am getting too complacent and “afraid” of change as I get older. However, there seems to be a lot of change within the job that I have at the moment; time will tell if it keeps up. I haven’t yet held an “adult job” for two years, so I’m not there yet!
Ugifter I also worry that I’m growing complacent with my full-time job. It’s so much easier to stay in your current role and team versus switching to something entirely new.
Ugifter Oh and yes it does sound like your job has a lot of change, challenges, and room for learning new things! At least from what you’ve told me.
When I was in Corporate America, my company heavily supported the two-year rule, since you couldn’t post for jobs outside your department until you had worked for 2 years in the role. I suppose part of their reason for the rule,was it’s expensive to train someone, so if they made that investment in you, they wanted to get some results from you before you moved on! I agree with you, sometimes it makes perfect sense to move after 2 years and others times it doesn’t. From an employer standpoint, I like to see loyalty and growth. I realize companies are not always very loyal to their employees so many employees no longer feel a strong sense of loyalty to their company either, which I understand. At the same time, if someone never stays longer than 1 year at any job, that raises a potential red flag for me.
ShannonRyan I agree with a lot of what you’re saying. Some of the controller-level and higher jobs, including VPs, seem to change every 1-3 years, which I think is why others are encouraged to move around the company and learn other areas of the business. Very often at my work people are in the dark about what another business line does, even though we are all part of the same company.
I think when you gain some good experience and there is a potential promotion or salary increment, it can be a good time to change the job. It may not be necessarily 2 years. It can take longer. Plus you do not want to have multiple 1 -2 year job stints on your resume because prospective employers might think you won’t stay. However, if it is within the same company, I believe if you have the experience you can always move to a better position.
BorrowedCents Yes that’s a key point. It’s better to think about it within the company versus switching companies. A guy who I really respect (he’s head of global M&A for a consulting company and in general just a great life mentor) told me to stay for a minimum of five years at my current company. You really do need to stay a certain amount of time to gain that core knowledge and show that you have progressed.
I obviously don’t work in a traditional work environment so it’s hard for me to say, but I would think if you enjoy your work, get paid enough, and have opportunities for promotion, then why not stick around?
brokeandbeau I would say I don’t have opportunities for promotion in my current job, since every time someone leaves we have to “absorb” their duties, but I think that if you like your work and get paid ‘enough’ that I would have to agree that there is little reason to move. I plan on staying for the foreseeable future, but it’s strange for me to take such a 180 on a topic like this.
I get bored after 6 months haha. My last job I got three raises over the first year for a total of 35% so I stuck to it for another year, then got too bored and it was harder to get big raises so I left.
RFIndependence I think this explains a lot about your lifestyle haha. Not in a bad way! It’s cool to follow your adventures and business projects.
I stayed at my first job for over 5 years and my last job for around 3.5 years. Hopefully this current one lasts a long time :)
SenseofCents That’s pretty good! I should say I’m not counting promotions, which you may be rolling all into one with those time-frames? Maybe not tho? I think your current job will last a long time!
Excellent article. I think I feel the ‘itch’ so to speak after being in my current position 2 and a half years, but I think the advice she gave can be amended to say ‘make sure your scope of work increases every two years.’ Like you my first 18 months were getting the hang of this job and then they added more responsibilities (with a little more pay) to increase my market value. It’s not a new job but I’m still developing skills, so it feels new and it prevents me feeling over-qualified. When I get to the boredom point I’ll really need to assess if I can gain any more depth in this position before I move on, there’s something to be said for longevity on a resume.
2coppercoins Thanks for sharing your thoughts! I agree with you that it can definitely be amended to ‘make sure your scope of work increases every two years.’ It’s important to gain new responsibilities and take on new and challenging work.
My husband had a few moves to different companies where he would stay for 18 months and it was not good for his resume. When the economy was good the moves were not problem and employers were not giving him a hard time about it but then he was caught in a layoff in 2009 and the moves were seen as negative by employers. Now he has stayed put for 3 years to show stability on his resume.
Practical Cents I can definitely see how moving every 18 months can be a red flag eventually. It’s great he’s been in his role for 3 years now and it makes me feel better about staying in my own position for longer than 2 years.
I’ve been with my company for 15 years. Switching makes sense for those wishing to move up and they are blocked in their profession. I hate relocating and I still have a pension while the new employees don’t. A pension fully vested is easily worth another million, I have that to consider.
Charles@gettingarichlife That’s incredible that you have a pension! I couldn’t imagine having a pension because it sounds too good to be true to most of us entering the work force. I would definitely consider staying in your job at your company if it means keeping that pension.
Great post David, I think you’ve hit the nail on the head when you mention challenge. Although pay and progression is important, you will always be adding visible value to your employer if you can take on new challenges and complete challenging projects!
BudgetBreakaway Thanks for sharing your thoughts! I agree that being challenged is very important. I think if you aren’t being challenged, especially if you are in your 20s and 30s, it may be time for a change.
Do you work in public accounting or …? I graduated with an accounting degree in 2010 and worked at a small family owned/run agricultural company for 2.5 years. Then I recently finally got my break into government accounting which I absolutely love (the benefits and time off don’t hurt, neither does the pay compared to my private sector job). The only downside, they highly encourage the CPA certification and so I’m going to have a rough 2014.
slweal87 Nope I work for a health insurance company. I have a finance degree, not accounting, so I can’t sit for the CPA.
I work in government so that doesn’t work for us. Actually it is best to stay longer to reap the benefits: the pension and the pay is higher with more seniority. Although I have heard about that in the private sector in big corporations. It seems that to get more raises and promotions, you do seem to have to move around a bit. That probably doesn’t suit my personality. I don’t like constant change and like stability.
Andrew LivingRichCheaply Government is a whole different world. I think in a big corporation you can do just fine without moving around too much (just ask my director who has been in the same department since leaving college).
Are you meaning switch to a different job in the same company or change employers altogether? I guess it depends on what field you are in. I would say it took at least two years for me to build up a patient base. People who go to a private practice usually are going to see the same doctor and not have to switch all the time like you might in a commercial setting, so it would be hard to rebuild every two years. I would also look at maybe how long it takes to be vested for 401k money or other benefits that come with long term employees like better schedules or time off. All in all, you have to do what helps you to grow professionally and personally. Plus getting a boost in salary could be a big motivation as well.
Eyesonthedollar I’m meaning whatever you want it to mean, Kim ;) Different professions are obviously going to be treated differently. In Finance/Business within a large corporation it can really benefit you to move around the company, but if you think about it there are many “businesses” within the bigger company. So while it’s not switching employers per se it is moving between them.
I’ve actually wound up averaging about a year at each of my positions. Although my current position is one I will be at for a good while barring any unforseen circumstances like the contract being canceled. Never planned it out that way but I just wound up naturally moving on to seek different challenges and broaden my knowledge base.
MicrosMissions If opportunities come up sometimes it just makes sense to move around, especially if you can broaden your knowledge.
I don’t know if you should set a time limit on your job but you should def. go if things are getting stale or if you are not challenged. I am always on the lookout for the next opportunity because you never know never know what lies around the corner for you…
DebtandtheGirl I’m the same way in the sense that I’m always looking or at least keeping an eye out for the next opportunity for me. It helps me prepare better for it, especially if that next opportunity requires me to develop skills that I don’t already have.
I received very similar advice a few months into my first “career” job as well. That advice wasn’t necessarily to switch every 2 years exactly, but more along the lines of: if you want to advance and also increase your salary faster, then you should look to switch every few years. The theory is based on taking things into your own hands. Meaning, if you stay where you are at, you’re somewhat at the mercy of others for a promotion and that can oftentimes be tough to come by. Conversely, if you are always seeking new opportunities, you’ll be able to achieve promotions and commensurate income increases. The theory does hold some merit.
That was roughly 10 years ago. My take on it now? It’s all a crap shoot. I have colleagues and former colleagues that have found success both ways and others who haven’t! Me, I kind of landed right in the middle although lately my career trajectory has been somewhat stalling (been in my current role for 4.5 years).
PFUtopia I agree with you on the crap shoot opinion. There are some directors, like mine, who have been in the same division since college (at the same company too!). Others have jumped around and are doing quite well also. It depends on the person and the opportunities that come around. There is definitely luck mixed in with all the hard work.
I’ve heard this advice many times. Instead of move jobs, though, I’ve been told to aim for something new every two years. Whether that means a new job entirely, or just a new project/task, is entirely up to the person. Honestly, if you love where you are, there’s no need to move on after two years!
LisaVsTheLoans This makes a lot of sense Lisa, and is exactly why I am fairly happy where I’m at. I got a new opportunity and I’m learning a ton as I’m taking on new responsibilities and challenges. If I had continued to do the same thing over and over without much change or challenge, I would probably have already started interviewing.
I switched even less than that on my last two jobs (under 1.5 years for both jobs) but I’m finally at a place where my job isn’t terrible plus I have one major reason to stay–great health insurance! It’s hard to give up an amazing plan when I know how terrible health insurance can be (from my past jobs!).
Another big reason to change is salary. Unless you’re in a field with set salary like working at a major law firm, salary ranges can vary widely between organizations. You can’t always find out the “standard” salary by a Google search and sometimes a job can pay way more than you expected.