To ask how long you should spend in a job?

[whatareyoudoinghere]

I’ve had a lot of changes in my working life and currently am doing my longest stint, which is three and a half years. Before that I only managed a maximum of two years.

I am wondering whether to apply for another role but on balance wondering if it’s better to stay longer. Or if it really doesn’t matter. I am a teacher.

Why do you change jobs so often? Have you been moving for promotions, boredom, what?

If I were a headteacher looking to recruit a teacher I would be looking for someone who had longevity in previous roles.

But, I'm not a Headteacher so this is just a guess!

I was in my previous job for 28 years. 2 years so far in this one....

In my opinion, lots of sideways changes (not promotional) indicate issues. There are often underlying reasons why people keep moving: capability issues catching up with them, poor attitude, personality clashes, etc.

Perhaps tell us why you move jobs so much.

I don’t see any reason to leave unless you’re unhappy or will only make more money by moving on.

I’ve been in my job since 2003.

How long is a piece of string?

How can anyone possibly say without knowing what type of job.

Depends on the job, I like to see 4 years in some CVs in roles at least. Job hopping every two years raises the alarm for me but I'm in tech might be different in other industries

@Mysteryfemale varied reasons really. I had quite a tumultuous life, especially when younger, so I’d apply for jobs following boyfriends around the country (with their consent, I obviously wasn’t just stalking them!) and then when the relationship ended look to move back. I had a few promotions and a couple of face just not fitting posts.

I have been in my current position for three and a half years and it will be four if I chose to leave at the end of this academic year, which is double what I’ve managed before so feels like a very long time but of course it isn’t really!

That’s why I said what type of job it was!

Moving every couple of years means you never, ever benefit from really knowing the children in a school - and they never benefit from the solid predictability of knowing you’ll be there again after the summer.

It takes at least two years to really settle into a job and even if the job content remains the same like teaching it takes at least that time to properly establish yourself, become part of the furniture and for pupils to really settle as they like to test you and you need to become accustomed to individual schools policy's and processes.

Can you not take on more responsibility where you are? Run a new club that is accredited like the Crest Awards and DoE at Secondary or similar Primary equivalents.

Sorry, missed it. That sounds like something that should warrant 3-5 years, unless you are a maths teacher who are in the highest demand.

I'm a teacher OP (primary). I've taught for 30 years full time and I've worked in 6 schools. Current (and probably last!) school I've been at for 5 years, and will most likely end my career here in 2 or 3 years when I decide to retire.

The only reason I changed schools was due to moving out of area (4 schools), once when I got divorced (I then moved overseas to teach) and finally when I came back to the UK.

I don't think it looks great on teaching applications when you're hopping from post to post without any real justification.

I'm 34. Last job was 11 years, but we were all made redundant. Current job 5. I don't like change 😕

To be honest this is why I’m looking to move as I need less, not more at the moment. Expectations aren’t realistic and behaviour has nosedived, plus some other things that are probably petty on their own but together aren’t, if that makes sense.

As a governor I am involved in the recruit of teachers at our school.

To me, Moving every 2 years with an explanation of following boyfriends would put you in the reject pile I am afraid.

It doesn't show dedication to the school or the children, it shows flighty and fickle and kids need stability.

I think unless there is a very good reason to love ie promotion I would be staying out and trying to achieve a minimum of 5 years in post.

In my industry, people moving means a lot of disruption for our clients so longevity in a role is a massive plus point - plus you can do 18mo/2yrs 'not found out' and it's a good indicator that they're not on top of things. I wouldn't interview someone who hadn't done at least one stint somewhere of over 3 or 4 years.

I think I’d agree, unfortunately. Recruitment is difficult and expensive and it takes time for a new joiner to really settle into a role and prove themselves: other candidates whose history indicates that they aren’t as fickle would be preferable.

There’s not a lot you can do about it now, except try and mitigate the job-hopping with some more solid explanations: at the moment employers are likely to suspect all kinds of things leading you to resign ranging from having your ability questioned to being a difficult person who falls out with colleagues endlessly. I’d definitely try and hold out in your current role for another couple of years, to demonstrate as much as you can that the current you has matured from the younger flighty you who wasn’t as committed to her career.

I’m a teacher. I suppose it depends why you’ve moved.
My first job was a year and a term. A long way away so needed something nearer.
Second job was two terms and the following year. Nearer to home.
This job 33 years. Head of Dept.

I can honestly say that I have never cited ‘following boyfriends’ as a reason for leaving!

I should hope jot. But you have here and it is fairly easy to pick out the BS from an application.

Ultimately for a teacher you have changed jobs far too often. You need to establish some longevity.

No new job is going to be less work. They will always be more.

If you are wanting less you either need to go part time or consider that maybe this is not the right career for you?

@Ihatelittlefriendsusan ‘promotion’ and ‘relocation’ aren’t bullshit, they are perfectly valid reasons. I mean, ideally yes I would have been in one job for twenty two years but that isn’t what’s happened. I’ve never had a governor involved in recruitment but it’s different in primary, I know.

When I worked on education I moved year groups every couple of years which helped. Stayed in my first role for 10-12 years left when had youngest DC. Are you happy? I wouldn't move for the sake of it.

Promotion is an absolutely valid reason for moving on. Relocation - yes, but when it appears to be a habit, people begin to question it. You’ve mentioned that you’ve had a couple of “face not fitting” jobs, and honestly if I look at a CV with lots of short-term stints in different places I do suspect that this is somebody who finds their face doesn’t fit everywhere they go: somebody who is difficult to get on with, falls out easily with everyone they know and burns bridges, is a “wherever you go, there you are” type. That’s what you don’t want employers assuming about you, and why you need at least two roles of decent length on your CV.

No one relocates every couple of years...its BS and people can see theough it

You have a potted history. And with the longest in any role being now at 3.5 years it will set alarm bells off.

You asked for opinions...as part of the recruitment process for teachers in our school I am giving you my opinion.

You can dismiss or change your reasoning to suit your own narrative as much as you want. But the bottom line is you have failed to show longevity and you need to start showing that.

Frankly ased on your posts here I can see why your face didn't fit in some roles.