I was asked this question recently during a coaching session. The answer is not simple, although there are some rules of thumb that can be used. Among them Metro wrote an article about this several years ago. The article looks at the situation strongly from the point of view of potential employers. As a career coach, I like to give my feedback on this. Of course, I am curious to know how you experience this ...
Metro's answer: "That depends, of course, on how much you are tutoring and what the work does for your career that you have your eye on. But there are some rules of thumb in general. 8, 18, 48 and 72 are the numbers to remember.
- Future employers consider a job where you were employed for less than 8 months as a negative mark on your resume unless you can cite objective reasons for the short stay (e.g., a temporary project). If you can't, the job on your resume suggests that you were evaluated negatively after your probationary period or first cycle. So in that case, it's better to omit that job from your resume. An exception to this rule is when there was a wave of layoffs within the company.
- 18 months is a socially accepted minimum for performing a job. It suggests that you have survived at least one full evaluation cycle. The evaluation takes place annually, and employers usually don't evaluate until the probationary period is complete. That's where the 18 months comes from. You survived your first evaluation and that matters to your future employer. You might consider including jobs on your resume where you only lasted 9 months, but make sure you have a good explanation such as a change in management or a family-related reason for your resignation. If it is one job where you lasted less than 18 months, then that is not a problem and you can put that job on your resume, but if you have five then you are a problem in the eyes of the future employer. Whether you were laid off or decided to leave those jobs yourself, the employer will look at it skeptically anyway.
- If you were employed at a particular company for four years or 48 months, you will get all the credit for that unless something makes it clear that you were a stagnant employee. If you have moved up or can present a promotion or change of title, you have good credentials. If you haven't been promoted, haven't changed departments or your projects didn't improve, there's no problem yet, but make sure you can step up in the next two years.
- Six years or 72 months is the point at which it becomes painful when you have not yet been promoted or allowed to handle better projects. Six years without a clear promotion may indicate that you are unambitious and while not necessarily so, expresses that you are mediocre at what you do. If you keep getting promoted, there is no upper limit to how long you can stay in a particular job."
My answer: "As a career coach, my advice is to stay as long as you are energized by your work. This depends on several factors:
- Do your values match the values of your company?
- Can you do what you are good at and enjoy doing every day?
- Can you develop what you want to develop?
If that is not the case (anymore), you can see what you can do in your current job to increase your energy. Sometimes phasing out some tasks and participating in a new project or taking training can be a booster.
If nothing is possible within your current position, I recommend having a conversation with HR and seeing if there are other opportunities internally.
If not, then looking externally may be a solution.
So this is a very personal story, what is a dream job for one is a drama job for another."
How about you?
Do you get energy from your work?
Do you want to know what you need to get energy from your work? Then it is interesting to create your career passport, which you will learn in our coaching program.