Changing Jobs

[kiefmer]

I have a question....I have been in the computer field for 6 years. I have been at one large company that whole time. I have gone from being on the desktop support to Server Support and now doing network support. I am only 28 yrs old, so I have a while left in my career future. I was wanting to get people's opinion on what a good time frame is for a person in the technology field. I have heard that staying at one company too long can hurt your job opportunities later on, but how long is too long?

Hope this makes sense. Thanks for the input.

Heath

 

[Stella740pl]

I don't know an exact number, but take a look at thread654-1123254.

 

[kHz]

I was wanting to get people's opinion on what a good time frame is for a person in the technology field

I don't have statistics in front of me, however, from what I remember, people have 4 - 5 careers and (and somewhere around) 20 jobs. (You can probably find those stats on the Bureau of Labor Statistics Web site.)

To delineate the difference. Four or five careers would be in areas such as, teacher to marketing to information technology to banking; and spending five or ten years, or however many, withing that field. A career would not entail technical support to system administrator to DBA to manager.

It is usually difficult to change careers and probably would require experience in the area and/or education. My belief is: if you want to go from being a system administrator to marketing researcher then you would return to college and get a master's degree in marketing (if you already possess and ungraduate degree). If you do not have a bachelor's degree then get the bachelor's degree in marketing.

The reason for choosing a master's in marketing if you already have a bachelor's degree in biology (for example) and you have been working as a programmer/system administrator for 8 years (for example) is because you already have an undergraduate degree and you have work experience. You do not want to start again at the bottom of the food chain and compete for entry-level jobs with recent college graduates (I would assume); but rather, you want a higher-level job with more pay and more challenge. Having a master's degree would elevate you to seek positions at that level.

I have heard that staying at one company too long can hurt your job opportunities later on

If you started as a programmer I and eight years later you are still a programmer I for the same company, then I believe that would raise a red flag for a potential employer because you haven't progressed to even a programmer II level. They would probably be thinking "why are they still a programmer I after 8 years?" and not give any more consideration to your application.

If you started as a programmer I and two years later you went to programmer II, then three years later you moved to programmer III followed by a move to system analyst position 3 years later; (all for the same company) then a potential employer would probably be thinking "I am impressed with the career progression of this individual and their motivation by seeking new opportunites in the company. I want to meet him/her.

 

[grooke]

There are always pros and cons, and only you can make the fateful decision.

The danger of staying in one company, is that some of them are very isolated technically. You learn bad techniques and never know that they are bad until it is too late and your skills look bad.
The danger of moving is that you jump from a really good company to a bad one, then another bad one and finally you give up.

What ever you do, dont sit on your butt for more than a year. BUT at the same time, dont jump into the fire.

Decide what you want to do. Sometimes this is just a guess. Look around at work, talk to friends outside, go for a few interviews that you dont intend to take up.

Decide what you want to do. See if you can get that inside your existing company. Try marketing, or Design or Management. Dont wait for them to come and offer you an alternative. Talk to the boss and say "I have decided I would .....".

Decide what you want to do. Assess your own skills. Try some courses. Go to assertiveness classes, or enlist some professional advice. Find out whether that is really a good way to go. Get 'Hungry' for that new career. Dont spend forever deciding.

Decide what you want to do. Then GO FOR IT. That is the time to decide whether you should or should not leave ths company.

NEVER (well seldom) 'leave a company'. Always move to a better position; maybe in the same company. Otherwise you are leaving for 'leavings sake', probably because you are bored. Then you will be bored in the next job.

Decide what you want to do. Set yourself a goal and achieve it. Then you can do it again, and again.

I wish I had followed that advice. :-(

Gil

 

[grande]

Poor Gil...

-------------------------
Just call me Captain Awesome.

 

[LadySlinger]

That was some good advice Gil!

I know I'm jumping in this log a month later, but still it is a good question that kiefmer posted: How long is too long?

I hope you have made a decision and all that good stuff kiefmer, as it is difficult to think about leaving a company you've been with for so long. I know because i just went threw it (but it was a bad company to be in technology wise - because of the lack of tek it took me longer than normal to find my new position). I'm in a better place now that is up-to-date with the tek and aren't counting their pennies towards each machine. I was scared when I left because I liked the people i worked for. Now I'm really not missing my old company since everyone here has welcomed me!

Good luck kiefmer!