how long should you stay at your first real job?

[Maverick]

I'm bored as hell at my current one after 8 months. Its my first real job out of college so I'm wondering if I should stick it out for a while before I look for another one. Is it bad to try leaving your first job so quickly? BTW I'm a disgruntled Software Engineer. I know the economy sucks and I'm lucky to have a job...but this place sucks! Two of the projects I've been assigned to have been canceled due to poor management resource allocation, and they still make dumb mistakes. And I dunno who read my thread yesterday, but the director (my boss's boss) is a real beotch. I'm seriously thinking I want out. Should I wait or go?

And can we not turn this into a flame war...ATOTers seem to have a knack for that.

 

[pulse8]

After college? I'd stay as long as possible. If you keep bouncing from one job to another it doesn't look good on your resume.

 

[vi edit]

Depends on your goal - more money or better credit/liability?

 

[Viper GTS]

I started working full time when I was 16. Got a job throwing freight overnight at Target. Stayed there 9 months until I got another job for 50% more pay.

I've been here for 3 years 3 months now, I'm now 20.

Viper GTS

 

[Maverick]

Originally posted by: vi_edit
Depends on your goal - more money or better credit/liability?

where does being challenged fit into that?

 

[Queasy]

If the costs of staying at your job (unhappiness, boredom, pay, etc) outweigh the benefits then start looking for another job. Nothing will make you more miserable than trapping yourself at a job for 8 hours+ a day that you hate.

 

[Maverick]

Originally posted by: Queasy
If the costs of staying at your job (unhappiness, boredom, pay, etc) outweigh the benefits then start looking for another job. Nothing will make you more miserable than trapping yourself at a job for 8 hours+ a day that you hate.

true but is your credibility ruined because you felt this way at your first job?

 

[bigalt]

I for one am not into thinking in terms of my career.

If I'm unhappy somewhere and don't see it improving any time soon, I leave.

I say, go ahead and look for another job on the side. You can suffer through another couple years so you'll have better credibility afterwards, but then you've lost a couple years of your life to be discontent.

The other option is to try to make it better. But (no offense) complaining without doing anything will only make you unhappier, especially when you're right to complain and people can just say, 'yeah your life sucks'

 

[RossMAN]

I would stay for at least 1 year (resume and reference purposes if anything) then jump ship.

However between now and 4 months from now if you can find a better job, go for it.

 

[vi edit]

Originally posted by: Shiva112

Originally posted by: vi_edit
Depends on your goal - more money or better credit/liability?

where does being challenged fit into that?

That too The credit/liability thing just sorta came to mind because I know some friends that were having troubles getting approved for a mortgage because he hadn't stayed at a job for more than a year in the last three years. He kept hopping around to get higher pay each time.

 

[lupy]

There is nothing wrong with switching jobs if you can find a better one, time should be of no concern. If you want, you don't even have list your current job on your resume. Since you have been out of college for less than a year, you are still considered fresh out of college.

 

[Maverick]

Originally posted by: bigalt
I for one am not into thinking in terms of my career.

If I'm unhappy somewhere and don't see it improving any time soon, I leave.

I say, go ahead and look for another job on the side. You can suffer through another couple years so you'll have better credibility afterwards, but then you've lost a couple years of your life to be discontent.

The other option is to try to make it better. But (no offense) complaining without doing anything will only make you unhappier, especially when you're right to complain and people can just say, 'yeah your life sucks'

I understand trying to make it better. But honestly I'm under management that won't even let me switch to a different team or really listen to any of my ideas. "Making it better" is turning into "Make the best of it" in my situation

 

[Queasy]

Originally posted by: Shiva112

Originally posted by: Queasy
If the costs of staying at your job (unhappiness, boredom, pay, etc) outweigh the benefits then start looking for another job. Nothing will make you more miserable than trapping yourself at a job for 8 hours+ a day that you hate.

true but is your credibility ruined because you felt this way at your first job?

Depends on how you convey your feelings about the first job to your new job. If you trash the first job in your interview then it will be a negative. Trying to come up with a positive way to convey this in an interview is difficult but it can be done.

 

[rudder]

Well if you are able to go on interviews and send out resumes without your bosses knowing, I say start looking for another job, get an offer, then leave. You will be asked why you left your previous job when you are interviewed, but just tell them like it is. The market may not be good for software engineers so I would keep it discrete as possible. You don't want an unintened, extended vacation without pay.

 

[Maverick]

ok well looks like I'm gonna start looking then. Thanks guys.

 

[SoylentGreen]

I know a guy that worked 42 years as a valet parking attendant.

Guy was 67, still working and died of a heart attack one day at work.

 

[Ernieb]

as long as you can..until you can't stand it anymore..
or at least until you have found another job.
well..not only for your first job..i think even for you second, third, forth..job..stay
there as long as you can..it's not good to always jumping from job to job

 

[SoylentGreen]

Originally posted by: Shiva112
Two of the projects I've been assigned to have been canceled due to poor management resource allocation, and they still make dumb mistakes.

If that's going to bother you, get out of the business altogether. It happens EVERYWHERE

 

[Maverick]

Originally posted by: Kiyup
I know a guy that worked 42 years as a valet parking attendant.

Guy was 67, still working and died of a heart attack one day at work.

if I worked here for 42 years I'd ask someone to shoot me.

 

[dirtboy]

Originally posted by: Shiva112
I'm bored as hell at my current one after 8 months. Its my first real job out of college so I'm wondering if I should stick it out for a while before I look for another one. Is it bad to try leaving your first job so quickly? Should I wait or go?

I'd stay for two years, esp in this economy. Unless you have a buddy that's willing to hire you, changing jobs quickly looks bad. Much of it can depend on your skills, your abilities and your acomplishments. I'd wait it out.

 

[abaez]

This july I will be at my very first job for 5 years and going.

 

[FoBoT]

~2 years

BTW , what you describe is very common among medium to large corporations, so get used to it, changing jobs won't necessarily remove you from crap like that