Here’s what you should know about tenure while at your current job.
Today I’m discussing tenure, or the amount of time you’ve been at jobs on your resume and LinkedIn profile. Most people agree that the most “optimal tenure,” is three to five years per company, but no one has a perfect resume that fits those exact parameters for every job they’ve had. However, if a person’s average tenure is around 18 months per job, it starts to alarm employers, and they’ll consider whether to move forward with that candidate. They think they’re likely to only spend that long at their company too.
However, what many people aren’t aware of is the high end of tenure. If you have 10 or more years with your current company, that usually works to your detriment. At 10+ years, a company’s perception of you is that you’re very tuned into how your present company does things and its culture, and it’ll be difficult for you to transition to a new company, culture, and way of doing things. I’m not saying someone with seven years at their current company should quit their job soon, it’s just that you should have this information in the back of your mind as a key factor in deciding when it’s time to consider switching jobs, then diligently and slowly find the right opportunity for yourself.
In general, three to five years at a company is excellent, six to seven years is still great, and 10+ years might hurt instead of help.
If you have questions about tenure or any other matter, call or visit our website. We’d love to help you. Happy job hunting!