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Is the old advice to change companies every two-ish years still the best practice for career advancement? (beehaw.org)

submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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I recall a regular piece of advice for software engineers: “change your job every two years.”

There’s innumerable Google results for this, even from as recently as 2022 — but none of them really seem that high-quality?

I’m really, really enjoying my current (somewhat unusual, hard-to-replicate) position; am about a year and a half into it; but I also don’t want to relax into that and have it cost me in the long-run, career advancement wise.

So, what’ve y’all been doing? Especially in the post-pandemic/fully-remote world, does that advice still apply?

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

If the company offers no real growth technical, responsibility or compensation yes

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Don't leave a good place because of FOMO.

I have worked 5+ years at my first work place. Good WLB, growing skills, promotions, good people. Most people who left tried to come back.

Why do you think staying can cost you career advancement wise? What are your goals?

What is unusual about your current position? If your current position is very nieche or skills are not transferable, that could become a risk for your career.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Feel like you only received half of, possible good, advice:

I used 'two years, up or out', in my career. Who cares if you work somewhere for a longer period of time as long you keep progressing in all the various metrics of career progression?

It's when things become stale that out is a good idea

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

2 years are a bit extreme. I think 4-5 years is a good option. But if only if I don't like the company (culture, people, policy, etc.) or I don't see any advancement in my career.

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