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Subject:Re: FW: Short duration on jobs From:Bill Swallow/commsoft <wswallow -at- COMMSOFT -dot- NET> Date:Thu, 3 Dec 1998 09:49:44 -0500
All the recruiters I know have told me that it's perfectly fine to have a
long employment history with one company, provided that there have been
status changes along the way. Staying in the same position within the same
company for 10 years kinda makes you look like you lack ambition, but 10
years in a company with several different positions or status levels is
perfectly normal. In fact, it shows loyalty as well as ambition.
Now this may not apply to more technologically-oriented people.
Programmers, to be specific, will be better off hopping every few years
from employer to employer so they don't get stuck in one language or
technology nitch for too long. Most companies prefer programmers with a
more diverse background because chances are they have a stronger foundation
of logic from working with different code structures. Engineers on the
other hand are better off sticking with a technology for a longer duration
so they can build themselves a specialization in that particular
technology.
Anyhow, I think I lost my point along the way... I thing it was something
like: The path you choose for yourself will determine how long you stay
with each employer and within each position. Determine what it is you want
to do and what it will require of you. Is it general knowledge and theory
of a wide variety of stuff or the ins and outs and nuts and bolts of one
specific thing? Are yo required to be stable or flexible?