How Many Job Changes... (Page 2)

I'm 52 and I have held a FT job since I was 15.  I have never been unemployed and went to college PT while working.  I have had 12 jobs in 37 years (this includes a 3-year period where I was self-employed).  In my current career field I have had 4 jobs.  I have never worked anywhere over 5-years, with the exception of a company where I changed careers and worked there for almost 6-years.  I just hit 4-years at my current job.  If I was younger I think I would have moved on by now but I have less energy to have to go and prove myself all over again somewhere else.  Besides, I like it here for the most part.  Other than the long commute to the office.

BTW Kido...all my jobs have been in Colorado! 

Since graduating in '96 (returned to school after getting serious about work) I've been at the same company, and worked 4 jobs within that company, in one case getting a significant raise/promotion.

So going on 17 years with the same company.

Overlapping college and work I was also in the Army National Guard, but more than a "weekend a month" as I was helicopter pilot, and you can't stay proficient flying once a month.  So we got paid for extra training periods throughout the year.

I've lived in three locations during my career, the first one knowing it was temporary, (which meant per-diem, and a quick payoff of student loans). 

Starting to get a little burned out at the current gig, but right now we're not hiring a lot, so I'm happy to be employed...

Edited to add:

My brother in law, however, takes a different approach.  In the 10 years I've known him, I think he's been with 5 or 6 different companies.  After a couple years, if the promotions/raises aren't coming, he jumps ship.  He's in business/marketing of consumer goods, so maybe that field is a little different from mine (Defense/Aerospace Engineering)

I got lucky still at my first job with same people.

Got my first job right out of college as an MT with a start up company from University of Chicago-called Litholink.  It was a $300K start-up business helping patients with kidney stones.   I was Litholink's first employee(right place/right time) and we processed 25 samples a week. Built the entire company along with a handful of people.  Grew the business unit to $10M as young entreprenuers.

15 yesrs later- $100M business unit.  We belong to publically traded company, process 50K specimens weekly and now have programs for Cardio Vascular Disease(CVD), Chronic Kidney Disease(CKD) and Bone and Mineral disease.  Coagulation and Diabetes in the pipeline.   I have been promoted 5 times, with titles of senior tech, supervisor, lab manger, ops manger and a new title of National Strategic Director of Chronic Diseases (to be announced in June).  Still working with the same group of people, and an addition 75 employees who all have been part of amazing journey! 

that's awesome!

Starting from H.S. or serious full time?

Most of my life has been living in this he11h013 called 'sconsin, but I did work in Chicago for 6 months, but left after realizing the pay and the cost of living were not balanced out well.

I've had 8 full time jobs, but I've been in my current job for about 14 years.  I've seen many changes and am on my 6th or so boss.  I'm wishing very hard for another one since this current one is, well, not the greatest.

Regarding all the "qualification" questions...

I don't know how to answer it.  Qualify it however you want...  Same job, different companies, same company, different jobs...  Whatever.

I'm sure most of us are familiar with the stat that gets thrown around a couple times a year which states something like "The average American changes careers/jobs 10 times (or whatever) in a lifetime" - So whatever that means to you.

I actually felt like I have been pretty dedicated and only switched jobs twice on my own accord.  The others were economy driven.  I look at my dad who as been the pastor of his church for almost 30 years?  Yikes, that's a long time.

Or think of TV shows that have gone on for years and years.  It's amazing to think that the Supranos cast worked together for what, 10 years?  Or mythbusters cast?  Not to mention soap operas.  I stopped Days of Our Lives the other week and saw people on it that I saw when I was in college or earlier.  That's a LONG time on the job! 

Bo and Hope still on there?

They were...  That's who I noticed...

Some things never change (on soap operas )

Hmm, let me think...

Well my first real job in the Navy kind of counts, but I wasn't allowed to leave there for 6 years.  lol

So,

Navy (6 years) 1991 - 1997
3 jobs in Cedar Rapids, IA (~1 year each) 1997 - 1999
2 jobs in Chicago, IL (~1 year each) 2000 - 2001
2 jobs in Omaha, NE (3 years, and 5 years) 2001 - 2009
started my own business in Omaha (4 years) 2009 - present

My philosophy early on was to use job changes for upward mobility.  I'd take the highest job I could get and then immediately start working on certifications/schooling to the next higher job.  So, I essentially started every job knowing that I would be leaving in around a year.  It worked very well for me and I doubled my pay after the first three years and doubled it yet again after two more.

I eventually settled down at the 5 year job before I started my own business because I was pretty much maxed out as to what I could do or where I could go.  Then I poured into starting my own business for the potential of unlimited upward growth.

I always tell people to come up with your own business plan for your career.  Where do you want to be in 1, 3, 5, and 10 years and build a plan around it.  If you want to be an executive then what can you do today to make that happen.  You also need to discern that the path to where you want to be is often not at the same company due to politics and being type cast into a certain role.

Ultimately your employer wouldn't bat an eyelash if they had to fire you due to some cuts that come down the line, so your attitude should be the same.  Don't hesitate for a second to fire your company if it's not fitting your business plan.

Good luck

I'm 40 years old with an accounting degree and my CPA license. 

1st job - sales tax audit for state - 11+ years

2nd/current job - internal auditor for utility - 6 years and counting

I have a feeling if I stopped to count--from any starting point (I actually had a real job, no fast food gig, starting at 8 years old! Didn't have my first full-time job until grad school) it would be at least a couple dozen.

Company 1) Lasted 3.5 months... from August of 1992 to November of 1992

Company 2) Lasted 20+ years... from December of 1992 to present. 

I dig security, and I'm not one to go out and start looking around for something "else" or something "better". It's not worth the (perceived) risk to me. I've watched several of my peers leave the company only to come back a year or two later, telling stories of woe. 

So I stay put. 

I don't always love what I'm doing, but it's somewhat flexible, the money is good, they moved us and bailed us out of my townhouse, and I get 5 weeks of vacation... so... there's that. 

That's awesome.  We used to call that the golden handcuffs where you give so many perks and pay well, it makes it near impossible for people to leave. 

My last job before I started my business was that way.  We'd hire people in and intentionally pay them well above the market rate and then gave them a lot of perks.  We had very little turnover and I honestly would have stayed there for a long time had I not started my own business.

I find it hard to quantify. I have only worked at 2 places since graduating college. one temp job for 3 months and then this place for almost seven years now. However in that seven years I have had 4 different positions within the company (moved up via promotions).

so is that 2 or 5???

Since I graduated from college 23 years aog I've worked for 9 companies, held 12 different jobs and had three different careers (though my current career trajectory kind of ties the first two together).  I also obtained a second bachelors degree and a masters degree and held a number of teaching assistant-ships and research positions as well.

All told, it's a lot.  But, it all ties together and goes toward painting a pretty clear picture of who I am and what is important to me.  I'm a firm believer that life is too short to not chase your dreams...even if your dreams keep changing.

After rereading my post I wanted to add a couple things, because I actually do like my job most of the time. I own a small business? and I like the work usually, but I see it as a stepping stone in my plan for the future. That plan involves me always working for myself, just in different ways.