How long is long enough to stay in a job before moving on?

We all work with people who are different than us.

Workforces with diverse backgrounds provide for the creative mix that helps make companies thrive.  But, generational differences have ha a real impact on perceptions related to appropriate office and career etiquette.

These age-related differences are particularly pronounced when it comes to ideas about “appropriate company tenure.”  We are referring here to feelings about the amount of time  you should stay in a job until you learn enough to move ahead.

A recent article by online career site AOL Jobs shared some enlightening statistics reflecting these generational differences.

“Fifty-eight percent of workers 25-34 say you should stay in a job until you learn enough to move ahead (even if it’s less than a year), while 59 percent of workers ages 55-plus think you should stay at a company for at least three years before moving on.”

“Workers from younger generations are interested in moving up – and around – more quickly than their mature colleagues. While 60 percent of workers ages 25-34 believe you should be promoted every 2-3 years if you’re doing a good job, 58 percent of employees ages 55-plus say you need to spend a number of years earning the right to a promotion.”

At Key Corporate Services, we help find great careers for both the millennial and the 55-plus candidates. Whether we’re doing a pharmaceutical executive search, a finance and accounting executive search, or a search in any of the other seven divisions in which we specialize, we welcome the opportunity to work with candidates of all generations.

The Key Corporate Services Blog Team