Pros and Cons of Sticking With One Job for Years

Andrew,

Found this post today, and although it's a few weeks old, wanted to quickly comment.

Based on my experience, I 100% agree with your final statement:

The best job candidates find a balance between the “stick” job and job hopper—and it shows on their resume. While you don’t want to be a nomad or a hired gun, you may not want to be a lifer either. Every hiring manger looks for something different, so play it safe by showing how your experience has afforded you the best of both worlds.

To go further, I think the ideal length of tenure at one company is 2-4 years - unless you are moving quickly up the company ladder, then you may want to stay a bit longer. At minimum you want to stay at a position for at least a year if possible. This applies to contractors as well!

Dale Van Wagner of VA 10:30AM January 04, 2011