How old are you and how many jobs have you had?

[JunesDunes]

My Dad was moaning about how no one sticks to one job/company now and that he doesnt understand why people are constantly looking for new jobs and moving about.

He is past retirement but still working. He works for a very traditional company with a job for life, only move for a promotion type approach. He has been there since school and excluding a couple of sideways moves, he has followed that path. He hasn't always been happy there but "it's what you do".

I tried to explain why most jobs don't work like that anymore and that people are more willing to move if they are unhappy and all the other reasons to change jobs/careers. But he didnt get it.

So I'm curious about your experiences?

I'm late 40s.
At school/college/university I had 4 jobs but they were typical transient student jobs so I dont really count those.

Since then I've worked for 4 companies. However within those companies I've had at least 12 different roles, some sideways and some progression. Some my choice, others due to restructure or redundancy etc.

So basically a new job on average every 2ish years which seems a lot when I put put like that! But I do stay in companies for a while.

Assuming nothing major happens, I dont have any plans to leave my current company, although I'll probably move about in it. I dont always like it but it fits around my life not the other way round. I am also counting down to retirement (😂), I'm not ambitious anymore and just cant be bothered tbh.

I’m mid 40s. I had 3 before/during uni and 3 since I’ve graduated. One was a promotion so I’ve been with my current employer over 15 years. My field doesn’t operate much outside London so quite hard to move

58. Had three jobs. Been in current one 35 years.

Since university I am like your dad and have only worked for one organisation for 25 years!! Though 10 of them were part time while children were young: I find it a little embarrassing to tell strangers/acquaintances but it’s worked for me and my family. A bit Groundhog Day now but I kind of appreciate that as we do quite a bit outside work which adds variety. I don’t expect promotion at work anymore which is perhaps the wrong attitude but would have to move for that.

I had a lot of temp jobs during Sixth Form and University- about 12 so feel I have seen different workplaces albeit years ago! I am 48 now. Envisage relocating and job change in five years but it will be strange.

Early 40s - 5 (although counting the same company but 2 different locations as 2 - and including work as a teenager at my Dad’s office in London as 1) Actual jobs without including those - 3.

Also did volunteer work which I’ve not counted as was alongside my actual job.

I’m mid 40s, 8 jobs at 4 companies. I’ve been at my current company coming up 10 years. I may have another move left in me, not sure. I’m content but slightly bored.

I’ve been in my current job nearly 20 years. I should have left years ago. I feel under appreciated. Nobody cares that I have been there that long but I suppose why should they?

So compared to most of you, I have changed jobs a lot!

In my defence though I haven't moved companies much and my current one encourags you to move about and 2 jobs here were promotions. So my CV doesn't look like I'm a flight risk really. 🤣

Excluding student jobs:
I've been in my current job for 10 years (which is crazy)
My previous one was about 6 (made redundant)
The one before that was about 5
My first one (which was always planned to be a stop gap) about 3

I had a few interviews for jobs in London between my first and second job and I really wish I'd kept trying for those instead of settling for staying local. I wouldn't have wanted to stay in London long term but I would have liked to experience it for a few years and we could have afforded it at the time! No chance now plus our life is here.

I’m 68 and since leaving school I have had eight jobs before becoming self employed eight years ago. My first five jobs were within the same organisation which I joined when I was 16.

Ten jobs over 52 years working life.

54 years old
12 jobs
currently have 5 part-time jobs

I’m 27. Had lots of random jobs for a few months/years while studying for a level/uni (retail, hospitality, office). Then I became a trainee solicitor then a solicitor at my current firm.

Interesting to think about apart from while at uni jobs (3) I worked in 3 organizations and had 6 roles in total. Am mid 40s.

I am 66 but retired early at 58. I have worked for 4 different employers but I changed jobs through promotions or changing from full time to part time and vice versa when I had children.

Job 1 lasted 7 years then I went off on maternity leave. I did 3 different roles within that 7 years.
3 years out of the workplace to have children. All full time
Job 2 lasted 8 years and I changed roles three times again including a company merger. All part time
1 year retraining
Job 3 lasted 1 year and was done alongside retraining.
Job 4 lasted 20 years and I changed roles twice within that 20 years. Mix of full time and part time.

School/uni- 5 jobs
Since uni- 14 jobs
I'm 49.
Generally 2 or years per job. Moving for promotion/ money but also had contracts. I work in IT.

29, 5 jobs to date. Hoping for a 6th because fuck this place.

I'm 40
Had 5 proper jobs not counting temp work when I was a student and moved to a better role/more money each time - in my experience, you have to move companies to get promotions

2 companies, only left the first because it folded. Was there 7 years. Current job I’ve been at for 10 years, we have incremental pay rises/ go up a grade every year. I want to stay in this job until I retire, love it and love my department. I just love the security of being at the same place I guess.

Fifteen if I include all agency work as one job. I am early sixties.

38, 3 jobs
first one was unofficial when I was 14-16 but I still grafted and got paid, delivering the junk mail for the postmen in my nans post office who didn’t wanna do it.
worked at Woolworths from 17-20 when it closed its doors.
and my current place I’ve been at for 17 years.

I’m 45 and just about to get my 25 years service award. Only had 3 jobs in this company. I don’t like change, as you can tell.

Had 3 jobs previous to working here.

32 - 9. I did a bit of bouncing about after covid and got itchy feet at job 4. Retrain in something else etc etc. Regretted it immensely hence the bouncing about. Got job 8 which was same field but crap giant corporate. Finally got back to where I was and hoping is where I shall remain. The grass isn't always greener.

The 1 month job was WILD. I sat in a tiny office doing basically nothing. Everytime I look on the company website there is someone new doing that role. Can't believe they are essentially paying someone for nothing.

1st job - 7yrs
2nd job - 1yr
3rd job - 6mth
4th job - 2.5yrs
5th job - 6mths
6th job - 1yr
7th job - 1mth
8th job - 1.5yr
9th job - 1.5yr (2nd time round at job 4)

I am 55 and I have had 8 jobs. Would have been 7 if a job I lasted 5 months at hadn’t lied consistently to get me to move. My first job was aged 17 as an office junior.

I had quite a few pre uni and whilst there as most young people do. Post uni I did one job for 4 1/2 years and my current role now for 10 years.

I think a lot of it is down to what your career goals are and the opportunities within a company. My current company I've moved departments but I'd had experience of my current role from my previous company. So I've kind of moved about doing the same job for 15 years really. My current company has been taken over and merged a few times. Each time it's been a bigger company, so I've gone from a small independent company to a huge multinational well known brand without actually ever leaving.

I'm 44 and have had 5 jobs there was 10 years when I ran my own company. The latest job I've been here 9 years.

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