how long to stay at first job after college before moving on?

skim milk

Diamond Member
Apr 8, 2003
5,784
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It's good experience but the field isn't exactly what I want to do for the rest of my life so I'm keeping my options open before I get pigeon holed. How would it look if I moved on before the one year anniversary or between year 1-2?

 

spidey07

No Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
65,469
5
76
Really bad if it's less than a year. Technically you don't normally list places less than a year on your resume. Two would probably be better.
 

Xavier434

Lifer
Oct 14, 2002
10,373
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I'm not certain what your profession is or what you actually want to be doing, but generally 2+ years looks pretty good plus now is just a bad time to be job hunting for most people especially if you are fresh meat.
 

amish

Diamond Member
Aug 20, 2004
4,295
6
81
Originally posted by: spidey07
Really bad if it's less than a year. Technically you don't normally list places less than a year on your resume. Two would probably be better.

depends on the situation. my first job was at ATA airlines. i was out in 10 months. nobody had a problem with me leaving so soon and all could understand why.

however, yes, if the job and company are fine and you want to bolt before two years it looks bad.
 

bignateyk

Lifer
Apr 22, 2002
11,288
7
0
I'm moving in on two years at my first full time post-college job. I plan on looking for a higher paying job in the DC area starting next christmas.
 

polarmystery

Diamond Member
Aug 21, 2005
3,888
8
81
my job sucks so bad. I'm in the same boat. I have been applying for other places and I have only been here 1.5 years. I doubt I'll really get any serious bites until I hit the 2 year mark. Besides, I want my vested 401k money to sink in before I jump ship. Trust me what you are doing is miles better what I'm rockin... uggg
 

Gibson486

Lifer
Aug 9, 2000
18,378
2
0
I am on the same boat.

I asked around and it varies. If you truely do not like what you are doing and you find an oppurtunity that you cannot pass up, your time there will not matter. If you are simply doing it just for job hopping and gaining expereince, the time should be atleast a year.
 

skim milk

Diamond Member
Apr 8, 2003
5,784
1
0
Originally posted by: AgaBoogaBoo
What are you in now and what do you want to be doing?

Learning SAP and doing consulting
the career progression is very limited if I stay on this path
 

rh71

No Lifer
Aug 28, 2001
52,844
1,049
126
I left after 3 months because a big corp called. It was a great job otherwise and I would've stayed as long as they let me. Ideally if you're not exactly happy, 2-3 years is sufficient.
 

skim milk

Diamond Member
Apr 8, 2003
5,784
1
0
Originally posted by: Gibson486
I am on the same boat.

I asked around and it varies. If you truely do not like what you are doing and you find an oppurtunity that you cannot pass up, your time there will not matter. If you are simply doing it just for job hopping and gaining expereince, the time should be atleast a year.

my main concern is career path and progression
It'll be very hard to break out of the "IT" path if I stay here too long.
I am interested in other industries outside implementing systems
 

Gibson486

Lifer
Aug 9, 2000
18,378
2
0
Originally posted by: fritolays
Originally posted by: AgaBoogaBoo
What are you in now and what do you want to be doing?

Learning SAP and doing consulting
the career progression is very limited if I stay on this path

I am on EE side of consulting. While I would not say career progression is limited, it is certainly boring.
 

Gibson486

Lifer
Aug 9, 2000
18,378
2
0
Originally posted by: fritolays
Originally posted by: Gibson486
I am on the same boat.

I asked around and it varies. If you truely do not like what you are doing and you find an oppurtunity that you cannot pass up, your time there will not matter. If you are simply doing it just for job hopping and gaining expereince, the time should be atleast a year.

my main concern is career path and progression
It'll be very hard to break out of the "IT" path if I stay here too long.
I am interested in other industries outside implementing systems

Stay out of consulting then. ;)
 

Deeko

Lifer
Jun 16, 2000
30,213
12
81
Nope. My boss was a little surprised when I told her I was leaving, but she understood that I had a better offer and had to do what's best. I can still use them as a reference, and I was invited to come back if I ever change my mind.

I felt kinda bad leaving so soon, but business is business.
 

chipy

Golden Member
Feb 17, 2003
1,469
2
81
Originally posted by: fritolays
Originally posted by: AgaBoogaBoo
What are you in now and what do you want to be doing?

Learning SAP and doing consulting
the career progression is very limited if I stay on this path

are you working in DC learning SAP? who do you work for? i may want to get back into the IT field and i thought SAP was a good software to know.
 

Descartes

Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
13,968
2
0
I don't even remember how long I stayed at my first job, but 2 years was a long time to me back then.

I wouldn't put a timetable on it. Leave when you've gained everything you need to move forward. If you don't feel like you're moving forward, then it might be time to find a place where you can. Time is of the essence; staying idly by while everyone else gains the experience puts you further behind.

That said, I think you can usually gain the experience needed at a given company within 12 months, sometimes even less. After 24 months, my experience shows that things tend to be more rhythmic, which in the early stages of your career is a bad thing.

In short: Take the experience and run, imo. Soak up what they have to offer, concentrate on areas that are most applicable to the industry and not just to the company for whom you are working, and then start shopping around.
 

misle

Diamond Member
Nov 30, 2000
3,371
0
76
I stayed at my first post-college job for 23 months. I eventually got tired of the company and started looking. Got 2 offers. Accepted one and turned in my two weeks.

I play poker with one of the higher-ups and the last time I saw him, he asked if I was ready to come back. Nope, not yet (actually, not ever, but I'm not going to tell him that).
 

RandomFool

Diamond Member
Dec 25, 2001
3,913
0
71
www.loofmodnar.com
It depends, if you've got valid reasons for leaving and find and interetested company go for it. Just be prepared to answer the questions about why you're looking for another job so quickly.

I spent ~3 months at my first job. Every companies I interviewed with asked about it and seemed to understand why I left so quickly. It was 2nd shift server monitoring + weekends. It was boring and about as challenging as watching paint dry. There was tons of potential to move up at the company but there was also no way I could have lasted 2 years there. My boss even told me that he didn't think that I' was going be there long when he hired me.
 

rasczak

Lifer
Jan 29, 2005
10,437
23
81
Originally posted by: fritolays
Originally posted by: Gibson486
I am on the same boat.

I asked around and it varies. If you truely do not like what you are doing and you find an oppurtunity that you cannot pass up, your time there will not matter. If you are simply doing it just for job hopping and gaining expereince, the time should be atleast a year.

my main concern is career path and progression
It'll be very hard to break out of the "IT" path if I stay here too long.
I am interested in other industries outside implementing systems

You don't have the option to cross train?
 

Capt Caveman

Lifer
Jan 30, 2005
34,543
651
126
Originally posted by: fritolays
Originally posted by: Gibson486
I am on the same boat.

I asked around and it varies. If you truely do not like what you are doing and you find an oppurtunity that you cannot pass up, your time there will not matter. If you are simply doing it just for job hopping and gaining expereince, the time should be atleast a year.

my main concern is career path and progression
It'll be very hard to break out of the "IT" path if I stay here too long.
I am interested in other industries outside implementing systems

:confused: You haven't even been in this career path for a year yet, so how would it be hard to break out of it?

If anything, if you don't put in 3-5 years in, it won't be very easy to go back to this career path if you decide to leave it now.
 

DaWhim

Lifer
Feb 3, 2003
12,985
1
81
My projected time with my first job would be around 9 months (i am at the 7 months mark now). If everything works out, I will be starting a work-abroad internship in London in 2 months.

either way, I am going to look for a new job or work abroad internship. I have a very legit reason to look for a new job. After 3 months into my job, my company announced that my group will be "integrated" and moving to another state.