ML
    • Recent
    • Categories
    • Tags
    • Popular
    • Users
    • Groups
    • Register
    • Login

    Merits of Staying Long Term with a Job or Moving More Rapidly

    IT Careers
    it careers
    16
    60
    7.1k
    Loading More Posts
    • Oldest to Newest
    • Newest to Oldest
    • Most Votes
    Reply
    • Reply as topic
    Log in to reply
    This topic has been deleted. Only users with topic management privileges can see it.
    • nadnerBN
      nadnerB @scottalanmiller
      last edited by

      @scottalanmiller said in Merits of Staying Long Term with a Job or Moving More Rapidly:

      It's better than without contracts. With a contract, they can't just fire you anytime. So it's actually far easier to find the next job because of the huge reduction in uncertainty.

      That's not something that happens here. None of this "fired because you were too happy in the break room" business.

      scottalanmillerS 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • scottalanmillerS
        scottalanmiller @nadnerB
        last edited by

        @nadnerB said in Merits of Staying Long Term with a Job or Moving More Rapidly:

        @scottalanmiller said in Merits of Staying Long Term with a Job or Moving More Rapidly:

        It's better than without contracts. With a contract, they can't just fire you anytime. So it's actually far easier to find the next job because of the huge reduction in uncertainty.

        That's not something that happens here. None of this "fired because you were too happy in the break room" business.

        I was once fired, from a UNION job for... get this... "following the rules and encouraging others to follow them."

        Yup. Same job that the union made it so that they could pay UNDER minimum wage.

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
        • C
          Carnival Boy @IRJ
          last edited by

          @IRJ said in Merits of Staying Long Term with a Job or Moving More Rapidly:

          My career in a nutshell:
          GeekSquad (6 months)
          Helpdesk (3 years)
          Desktop and Network Support (4 years)
          System Admin (3 years)
          Network Admin II (3.5 years)

          Mine:
          Analyst Programmer (16 months)
          Analyst Programmer (4 months)
          Analyst Programmer (15 months)
          Analyst Programmer (15 months)
          IT Manager (16 months)
          IT Manager (3 years)
          IT Manager (13 years)

          It's probably time for me to move on, but when you find somewhere you like and you work with people you like, it's harder to leave.

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
          • C
            Carnival Boy @scottalanmiller
            last edited by

            @scottalanmiller said in Merits of Staying Long Term with a Job or Moving More Rapidly:

            NTG's a very different environment. Unlike traditional companies, NTG hires for the long haul and has internal development and such. It even provides lab capacity 🙂 What applies most places really doesn't apply there.

            Oh. Is that a US mentality? Companies in the UK still generally hire for the long haul and have internal development, especially large companies (maybe not so much in SMB where career progression is limited). I'd say the majority of my friends that work in IT have worked at the same place for years (20+ years in many cases).

            stacksofplatesS JaredBuschJ travisdh1T 3 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • stacksofplatesS
              stacksofplates @Carnival Boy
              last edited by

              @Carnival-Boy said in Merits of Staying Long Term with a Job or Moving More Rapidly:

              @scottalanmiller said in Merits of Staying Long Term with a Job or Moving More Rapidly:

              NTG's a very different environment. Unlike traditional companies, NTG hires for the long haul and has internal development and such. It even provides lab capacity 🙂 What applies most places really doesn't apply there.

              Oh. Is that a US mentality? Companies in the UK still generally hire for the long haul and have internal development, especially large companies (maybe not so much in SMB where career progression is limited). I'd say the majority of my friends that work in IT have worked at the same place for years (20+ years in many cases).

              We have a lot of internal development here. A good amount of money set aside each year for classes and training. It's really nice. We also have a decent lab setup for testing.

              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • JaredBuschJ
                JaredBusch @Carnival Boy
                last edited by

                @Carnival-Boy said in Merits of Staying Long Term with a Job or Moving More Rapidly:

                @scottalanmiller said in Merits of Staying Long Term with a Job or Moving More Rapidly:

                NTG's a very different environment. Unlike traditional companies, NTG hires for the long haul and has internal development and such. It even provides lab capacity 🙂 What applies most places really doesn't apply there.

                Oh. Is that a US mentality? Companies in the UK still generally hire for the long haul and have internal development, especially large companies (maybe not so much in SMB where career progression is limited). I'd say the majority of my friends that work in IT have worked at the same place for years (20+ years in many cases).

                I cannot speak to everything, but the large company I worked at in the past had minor linear growth but mostly people were sitting there stagnating for 20+ years. I know people that started at the same time as me that are still there doing the same work.

                stacksofplatesS 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                • travisdh1T
                  travisdh1 @Carnival Boy
                  last edited by

                  @Carnival-Boy said in Merits of Staying Long Term with a Job or Moving More Rapidly:

                  @scottalanmiller said in Merits of Staying Long Term with a Job or Moving More Rapidly:

                  NTG's a very different environment. Unlike traditional companies, NTG hires for the long haul and has internal development and such. It even provides lab capacity 🙂 What applies most places really doesn't apply there.

                  Oh. Is that a US mentality? Companies in the UK still generally hire for the long haul and have internal development, especially large companies (maybe not so much in SMB where career progression is limited). I'd say the majority of my friends that work in IT have worked at the same place for years (20+ years in many cases).

                  Almost all companies claim to do this, what they actually do is a little different.

                  stacksofplatesS 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • chrisnbrooksC
                    chrisnbrooks
                    last edited by

                    In the SMB world, there are often no positions "above you" to move to besides owner/operator.
                    In which case I tend to push for more budgetary flexibility so my "growth" comes in the form of experimenting with new technologies and attending seminars.

                    In a larger corporate environment, unless you're hoping to move towards managing more personnel, your growth often consists of department swapping. Moving from Help Desk/Asset Management, to Software/Network Engineer, or Net Sec. I suppose it all depends on your end game, "staying on" is a great way to specialize, but specialization can lead to a dead end. (as S.A.M. pointed out)

                    scottalanmillerS 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • scottalanmillerS
                      scottalanmiller @chrisnbrooks
                      last edited by

                      @chrisnbrooks said in Merits of Staying Long Term with a Job or Moving More Rapidly:

                      In the SMB world, there are often no positions "above you" to move to besides owner/operator.

                      Even in many pretty large companies. In the Fortune 500, you are probably safe. But much below that and you start getting lots of companies where there is no smooth path forward.

                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                      • scottalanmillerS
                        scottalanmiller @chrisnbrooks
                        last edited by

                        @chrisnbrooks said in Merits of Staying Long Term with a Job or Moving More Rapidly:

                        In which case I tend to push for more budgetary flexibility so my "growth" comes in the form of experimenting with new technologies and attending seminars.

                        This is a major reason why I believe that SMBs should almost universally move to outsourcing their IT. MSPs who are large, have internal training and maintain and internal ladder for growth bridge the gap between enterprise growth options and the SMB market.

                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
                        • bbigfordB
                          bbigford
                          last edited by

                          I tend to move around quite a bit. With each job I find I'm making more money with a better title, a new environment poses new challenges and learning opportunities. I tend to stay for a year or so then move on.

                          I don't find employers saying too often "it looks like you've had a lot of jobs...", but when I'm told that I simply say "I haven't found any particular employer to be one worth staying at, but maybe this is that fit I've been looking for."

                          wirestyle22W 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • wirestyle22W
                            wirestyle22 @bbigford
                            last edited by

                            @BBigford I stay about 2-3 years and then move on but every time I leave it's for a pay raise. I'm at a point where I more or less make what I have wanted to make so now I just have to be disciplined, learn and do my absolute best. It's a weird feeling.

                            bbigfordB 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 3
                            • bbigfordB
                              bbigford @wirestyle22
                              last edited by bbigford

                              @wirestyle22 said in Merits of Staying Long Term with a Job or Moving More Rapidly:

                              @BBigford I stay about 2-3 years and then move on but every time I leave it's for a pay raise. I'm at a point where I more or less make what I have wanted to make so now I just have to be disciplined, learn and do my absolute best. It's a weird feeling.

                              The issue I find is boredom... most networks I've been in don't grow and explore new offerings. It's a "set and forget" attitude, as well as stifling creative thinking. As soon as I hit that ceiling, I generate a resume.

                              Not just talking about SMBs, also talking about networks that support thousands of users across an admin team of a dozen or more.

                              wirestyle22W 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                              • wirestyle22W
                                wirestyle22 @bbigford
                                last edited by

                                @BBigford said in Merits of Staying Long Term with a Job or Moving More Rapidly:

                                @wirestyle22 said in Merits of Staying Long Term with a Job or Moving More Rapidly:

                                @BBigford I stay about 2-3 years and then move on but every time I leave it's for a pay raise. I'm at a point where I more or less make what I have wanted to make so now I just have to be disciplined, learn and do my absolute best. It's a weird feeling.

                                The issue I find is boredom... most networks I've been in don't grow and explore new offerings. It's a "set and forget" attitude, as well as stifling creative thinking. As soon as I hit that ceiling, I generate a resume.

                                Not just talking about SMBs, also talking about networks that support thousands of users across an admin team of a dozen or more.

                                I hear you. If I worked with people it would be a much different situation. I really miss being part of a team. I'm a social person.

                                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                • stacksofplatesS
                                  stacksofplates @travisdh1
                                  last edited by

                                  @travisdh1 said in Merits of Staying Long Term with a Job or Moving More Rapidly:

                                  @Carnival-Boy said in Merits of Staying Long Term with a Job or Moving More Rapidly:

                                  @scottalanmiller said in Merits of Staying Long Term with a Job or Moving More Rapidly:

                                  NTG's a very different environment. Unlike traditional companies, NTG hires for the long haul and has internal development and such. It even provides lab capacity 🙂 What applies most places really doesn't apply there.

                                  Oh. Is that a US mentality? Companies in the UK still generally hire for the long haul and have internal development, especially large companies (maybe not so much in SMB where career progression is limited). I'd say the majority of my friends that work in IT have worked at the same place for years (20+ years in many cases).

                                  Almost all companies claim to do this, what they actually do is a little different.

                                  Reminds me of the job postings for places like Taco Bell where they want "energetic individuals who are passionate about our company." And advertise that they offer "great growth potential and a dynamic workplace."

                                  wirestyle22W 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                  • stacksofplatesS
                                    stacksofplates @JaredBusch
                                    last edited by

                                    @JaredBusch said in Merits of Staying Long Term with a Job or Moving More Rapidly:

                                    @Carnival-Boy said in Merits of Staying Long Term with a Job or Moving More Rapidly:

                                    @scottalanmiller said in Merits of Staying Long Term with a Job or Moving More Rapidly:

                                    NTG's a very different environment. Unlike traditional companies, NTG hires for the long haul and has internal development and such. It even provides lab capacity 🙂 What applies most places really doesn't apply there.

                                    Oh. Is that a US mentality? Companies in the UK still generally hire for the long haul and have internal development, especially large companies (maybe not so much in SMB where career progression is limited). I'd say the majority of my friends that work in IT have worked at the same place for years (20+ years in many cases).

                                    I cannot speak to everything, but the large company I worked at in the past had minor linear growth but mostly people were sitting there stagnating for 20+ years. I know people that started at the same time as me that are still there doing the same work.

                                    I have a guess as to what company that was.

                                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • wirestyle22W
                                      wirestyle22 @stacksofplates
                                      last edited by

                                      @stacksofplates said in Merits of Staying Long Term with a Job or Moving More Rapidly:

                                      @travisdh1 said in Merits of Staying Long Term with a Job or Moving More Rapidly:

                                      @Carnival-Boy said in Merits of Staying Long Term with a Job or Moving More Rapidly:

                                      @scottalanmiller said in Merits of Staying Long Term with a Job or Moving More Rapidly:

                                      NTG's a very different environment. Unlike traditional companies, NTG hires for the long haul and has internal development and such. It even provides lab capacity 🙂 What applies most places really doesn't apply there.

                                      Oh. Is that a US mentality? Companies in the UK still generally hire for the long haul and have internal development, especially large companies (maybe not so much in SMB where career progression is limited). I'd say the majority of my friends that work in IT have worked at the same place for years (20+ years in many cases).

                                      Almost all companies claim to do this, what they actually do is a little different.

                                      Reminds me of the job postings for places like Taco Bell where they want "energetic individuals who are passionate about our company." And advertise that they offer "great growth potential and a dynamic workplace."

                                      If you aren't passionate about a 7 layer burrito I don't think we can be friends

                                      T MattSpellerM 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 4
                                      • T
                                        tiagom @wirestyle22
                                        last edited by

                                        @wirestyle22 or a triple double crunch wrap..

                                        Great.. You guys made me hungry..

                                        wirestyle22W 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                        • wirestyle22W
                                          wirestyle22 @tiagom
                                          last edited by

                                          @tiagom You calm down

                                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                          • MattSpellerM
                                            MattSpeller @wirestyle22
                                            last edited by

                                            @wirestyle22 said in Merits of Staying Long Term with a Job or Moving More Rapidly:

                                            @stacksofplates said in Merits of Staying Long Term with a Job or Moving More Rapidly:

                                            @travisdh1 said in Merits of Staying Long Term with a Job or Moving More Rapidly:

                                            @Carnival-Boy said in Merits of Staying Long Term with a Job or Moving More Rapidly:

                                            @scottalanmiller said in Merits of Staying Long Term with a Job or Moving More Rapidly:

                                            NTG's a very different environment. Unlike traditional companies, NTG hires for the long haul and has internal development and such. It even provides lab capacity 🙂 What applies most places really doesn't apply there.

                                            Oh. Is that a US mentality? Companies in the UK still generally hire for the long haul and have internal development, especially large companies (maybe not so much in SMB where career progression is limited). I'd say the majority of my friends that work in IT have worked at the same place for years (20+ years in many cases).

                                            Almost all companies claim to do this, what they actually do is a little different.

                                            Reminds me of the job postings for places like Taco Bell where they want "energetic individuals who are passionate about our company." And advertise that they offer "great growth potential and a dynamic workplace."

                                            If you aren't passionate about a 7 layer burrito I don't think we can be friends

                                            Don't even get me started. All we have for psudo-wanna-be-greasy-nightmare-excuse-for-Mexican Food is a rip off of Taco Bell without any of the really greasy delicious things.

                                            wirestyle22W 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                            • 1
                                            • 2
                                            • 3
                                            • 2 / 3
                                            • First post
                                              Last post