Have I stayed with one organisation too long?
Posted by
Sometimes you worry that you’ve been with the same organisation for too long and the only way you’re going to advance your career is to move to pastures new. But that could actually hurt your chances of progressing.
Sound counterintuitive?
First, consider the difference between staying in the same role for too long and staying with the same organisation for too long. Over the years we’ve done a huge amount of research into successful careers, and we’ve found that successful people don’t stay in the same job, but they do stay in the same organisation for many years – between 8 and 12 years in their longest organisation. They progress fast by building a track record, and getting promotions in the same organisation rather than jumping between roles at different companies.
And if you think about it, this makes sense. By staying in an organisation, you’ll have a wider network of contacts you can make use of to find opportunities or achieve results quickly. You’ll build a reputation, which will make people think of you when opportunities arise. You’ll have a safer environment in which to make mistakes as you grow. You don’t have those luxuries when you move to a new organisation as a small cog in a giant machine.
If you’re asking yourself whether you’ve stayed in one organisation too long, here are some things to consider:
Don’t be overly concerned about moving unless you know you have been stagnant in one place and one environment for a very long time – “Not 10 years’ experience, but 1 years experience repeated 10 times”. As long as your role is developing and changing, and you are introducing new initiatives and achieving great results – it will be seen as loyalty, not stagnation.
Sound counterintuitive?
First, consider the difference between staying in the same role for too long and staying with the same organisation for too long. Over the years we’ve done a huge amount of research into successful careers, and we’ve found that successful people don’t stay in the same job, but they do stay in the same organisation for many years – between 8 and 12 years in their longest organisation. They progress fast by building a track record, and getting promotions in the same organisation rather than jumping between roles at different companies.
And if you think about it, this makes sense. By staying in an organisation, you’ll have a wider network of contacts you can make use of to find opportunities or achieve results quickly. You’ll build a reputation, which will make people think of you when opportunities arise. You’ll have a safer environment in which to make mistakes as you grow. You don’t have those luxuries when you move to a new organisation as a small cog in a giant machine.
If you’re asking yourself whether you’ve stayed in one organisation too long, here are some things to consider:
- If you’ve been in the same role for a long time, because your priority has been life balance – let everyone know that you now want to progress fast! Remember that the key is to show how you’ve developed within the role and measure the value you’ve added – so you can show you are an achiever.
- Don’t forget, if you have a very specialised skill or are at the top of your industry you can happily stay in one role for a very long time – Jonny Ive is still highly employable even though he’s headed up Apple’s design team since 1997!
- Is there more to gain by staying rather than moving? You’ve built up a lot of equity in your career with your current employer and you’ll lose that if you move. Your first move should always be to capitalise on the invisible career assets you’ve built up, before paying the price of moving. Find out what your current organisation can offer you, before actively seeking a new role outside of your current employer.
- If you’re concerned that you’re not experiencing different working cultures, consider asking to move to a different business area or team rather than moving to another employer. That way you can get a new challenge and environment without having to leave everything you’ve worked to achieve. The chance to broaden your CV by gaining a very different type of experience is something that is only offered to people who have stayed with the organisation for years. And it will be great when applying for senior roles.
- Are there other experiences you can add from outside of the organisation? Do you have a professional body you can get involved with? Is there a third-sector organisation or charity you can join (try www.gettingonboard.org)? Finding more outside of work could be all you need to extend your capability.
Don’t be overly concerned about moving unless you know you have been stagnant in one place and one environment for a very long time – “Not 10 years’ experience, but 1 years experience repeated 10 times”. As long as your role is developing and changing, and you are introducing new initiatives and achieving great results – it will be seen as loyalty, not stagnation.