How long you stay in a job and how it is viewed in the job market has shifted over time. In days of old the longer you stayed in a job, the more favorably you were looked at as someone who is loyal and can keep a job. Now if you have been in a job over 10 years you might be viewed as someone who only knows 1 ways of doing things, or someone who’s skills are not up to date. So where is the fine line?
Leaving a job within a year will certainly raise some eye brows with prospective employers. But what is more frowned upon and can be detrimental to a job search is when you have several jobs with tenures of less than a year or two. This will call into question your loyalty, commitment and ability to hold a job. The exception to this is for contractors. Prospective employers understand that the nature of contracting is temporary and short stints and frequent moves are to be expected.
So for those with a long and steady employment history, it is critical keep your skills current, seek out opportunities within your role or company to stretch yourself or learn something new. Show that you are adaptable. That is what is going to be attractive to future employers.
So whether you have short stints or long tenures, it will be essential to be able to explain your work history and demonstrate that your skills are sharp, you are flexible and committed to quickly making a contribution to that new employer.
