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Jobs

How many times have you changed Jobs?
2

How many times have you changed Jobs?

How many times have you changed Jobs?

(OP)
Just a curiosity question I've heard engineers change jobs more frequently than other professions?  So...how many jobs have you had, and in what time frame 5,10,15 20 years?

RE: How many times have you changed Jobs?

If you discount industrial placements (of which I had six different ones over 4 years), just 2 in 18 years.  And both for the same employer, although the positions are completely different.

If I look around my department and other departments, there are clear "lifers" and hoppers.  The hoppers usually disappear after around 5 years.  THe number of lifers is surprisingly high though.

- Steve

RE: How many times have you changed Jobs?

Three employers and 4 job titles in 20 years.

RE: How many times have you changed Jobs?

Five jobs in 17 years.


RE: How many times have you changed Jobs?

8 jobs in 12 years, and in three different countries.

RE: How many times have you changed Jobs?

5 different companies, 18 years

RE: How many times have you changed Jobs?

2 companies, 4 years.  Will be 3,5 soon.

RE: How many times have you changed Jobs?

Currently at my 4th job in 12 years, though the current job is more or less for the same employer as the 2nd job.

RE: How many times have you changed Jobs?

3 jobs, 3 years

V


RE: How many times have you changed Jobs?

4 jobs in 13 years

RE: How many times have you changed Jobs?

3 jobs 12 years

Tobalcane
"If you avoid failure, you also avoid success."

RE: How many times have you changed Jobs?

3 jobs in 8 years.  I lost the first job due to the plant shutting it's doors.

RE: How many times have you changed Jobs?

2 jobs in 10 years...that being said, I am switching employers in a week...so make it 3.

RE: How many times have you changed Jobs?

4 different companies in 15 yrs.  Countless different titles.

RE: How many times have you changed Jobs?

One company and three jobs within it in 23 years.  I saw a lot of transients, and way more lifers than most people believe.

David

RE: How many times have you changed Jobs?

2
In 10 years:
4 different companies.
6 different positions.
5 job changes.

At my last company I got promoted into a new position.  A few years later I quit.  On Monday, I start back there again but with another promotion.

--Scott

http://wertel.eng.pro

RE: How many times have you changed Jobs?

P.S.

That should cement my transition from a hopper to a lifer.

--Scott

http://wertel.eng.pro

RE: How many times have you changed Jobs?

Unfortunately changing jobs is often the only way to get a decent payrise in our industry.

RE: How many times have you changed Jobs?

3 companies
4 different positions
11 years

RE: How many times have you changed Jobs?

"Unfortunately changing jobs is often the only way to get a decent payrise in our industry"

So true. How many people have changed jobs because it was the only way to get a promotion or a payrise or both?

Maybe changing jobs so often is not the engineer's choice but it is caused but the industry not giving credit where credit is due.

RE: How many times have you changed Jobs?

5 companies in 20 years.

Chris
SolidWorks/PDMWorks 08 2.0
AutoCAD 06/08
ctopher's home (updated 10-07-07)

RE: How many times have you changed Jobs?

Swertel,
is that life without parole or life without pension?

Me, 30 years:
3 companies and countless positions in all till self employed.

Reality? most of that 30 years has been in the cycle of acquisitions and mergers so for me and my colleagues, no matter how much distance you try and put between yourself and a previous employer, sooner or later old and new become part of the same company.

I wonder what life will be like when the "focus on core values and business" cycle begins with divestments and sell off's?
In either case, a scramble for jobs and hoping to avoid the worst that management can do.

At my first company there were a significant number of "man and boy, and me Da (dad) afore me" types on the shop floor and in the engineering teams and still clinging to the old days of family ownership (and all the old practices; it were good enough for the old boss, and its good enough for me."). All their lives working for one company from leaving school, apprenticeship, time of for the odd war or two then back to the old firm till retirement (or beyond).
This was  GE company when I joined, old Missus Bright having long ago departed this mortal coil despite the fond rememberings of the old hands.

JMW
www.ViscoAnalyser.com

RE: How many times have you changed Jobs?

22 years, 10 companies, 3 continents

RE: How many times have you changed Jobs?

15 years, 9 jobs

which includes 4 mergers / buyouts, 3 contracts, and a plant closing.

*sigh*

Of course, I also doubled my salary in that time too :)

RE: How many times have you changed Jobs?

5 jobs/companies in 16 years for me.

RE: How many times have you changed Jobs?

Didn't we already have this question?  

Seems like I've answered this before: 7 in 31, although the last 4 were actually the same job being shuffled around and bought/sold by big corporate entities.

TTFN

FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies

RE: How many times have you changed Jobs?

Part of the moves is playing the game.

You leave a company, go work for a competitor, and come back in 6 months for a much larger raise and a promotion than if you stayed there.  It is a sad reality that job hopping benefits the young engineer in gaining experience and raising  salary.  After a point, though, too many jobs on one's resume makes for a difficult sale.

Thus, I think I'm at the point in my career where I need to settle into this one, without parole.  I'll just accept the meager 3% annual raise and the occasional promotion, be it title or grade level.

--Scott

http://wertel.eng.pro

RE: How many times have you changed Jobs?

swertel,

I have said the same thing for the last 3 jobs but it just doesnt work out that way, maybe I will be able to stay at the next job.

I hope you are joking about the 3% raise!

RE: How many times have you changed Jobs?

1 company, 6 years, 2 different positions though.

RE: How many times have you changed Jobs?

I suppose I've had 4 in about 3 years.

Intern in college turned into full time after graduation, but wasn't planning on staying. Then took a contract position for about 9 months, which I had hoped (and led to believe) would become permanent, but didn't. After the contract ended, I was job-hunting for awhile. Took a position that I was pretty sure I wasn't staying at for 3 weeks until one of the other positions I had applied for came through with an offer.

So I've had a total of four, but only two that I really expected to be long-term. And I have no plans on changing anytime soon from my current position. =)

RE: How many times have you changed Jobs?

In 25 years.  8 jobs with 5 companies

RE: How many times have you changed Jobs?

Forty years, eleven different employers...

old field guy

RE: How many times have you changed Jobs?

interesting . . .

18.5 years (professionally) and 5 jobs - all in different states.  but with one firm, i relocated 5-times in 7-years, which was a different job.

change is good though!!  but, I admire the "long-term" employee - can nearly always count on them!

-pmover

RE: How many times have you changed Jobs?

csd72,  I wish I was kidding.  The largest raise is 5.5% and that is for those who are in the lowest quartile of their pay grade.  Those in the medium quartile (me) get 3.5%.  Can you guess the range for the upper quartile?

Grade level promotions (which I was due for last year and didn't get, nor did I get this year with my re-hire, but I better get next year) are about 8-9% in addition to the standard Cost of Living increase.  In the meantime, health premiums go up 10-15%, so does the deductable, coverage is reduced, and I pay more at the pump.  At least my mortgage is 30-year fixed.  But sadly, it is those economic reasons that I move jobs and those same reasons cause companies to give lower raises.  Why can they pay me more as a re-hire than what they could do at my annual review?  Makes no sense to me.


I guess duration of stay would also make this thread more meaningful.
1st - fresh grad, stayed 2 years.  Wish it was more.
2nd - stayed one year.  They got me to move to AZ, but it was a bad fit from the start.
3rd - 6 years.  I got too deep into the politics and needed a breath of fresh air.
4th - 6 months.  Learned a lot about myself.
5th - back to company 3, but a new position and plan on staying a while again.

--Scott

http://wertel.eng.pro

RE: How many times have you changed Jobs?

pmover,

Quote:

...I admire the "long-term" employee - can nearly always count on them!

nearly always... too funny.

And I actually prefer the new guys.  They work hard in order to prove themselves and are very energetic because it is new and interesting.  I have had far to many lifers that are considered "tenure" and are ROAD.  (Retired on Active Duty)  

--Scott

http://wertel.eng.pro

RE: How many times have you changed Jobs?

OK.  Not very scientific because we included jobs & companies for the number of years in the industry.  I averaged them out as if they were equal just based on the numbers listed.  I didn't adjust for different positions at the same company.

This is the average and standard deviation for numbers of years at one company.
Avg = 4.23 years.
St Dev = 4.26 years.

--Scott

http://wertel.eng.pro

RE: How many times have you changed Jobs?

Damned engineers.  You just can't give them numbers without their wanting to take them out and play with them.

David

RE: How many times have you changed Jobs?

20 odd years/4 companies, last one as self employ/at least 5 different industry sectors, engineering seems to be the same where ever you go. Have to agree with the change jobs = step increases in reward. Started the Self employ bit to retain the technical work rather than under value of engineer in a manufacturing company..."we make things not engineer, so you are not as valuable to us!" I'm just twisted I think!

Mark Hutton


RE: How many times have you changed Jobs?

Three companies in fifteen years. Then striking out on my own for the next fifteen years. All my choices.
If you are dumb enough, smart enough, have the stomach enough, lucky enough etc then you can stay with one company and be a lifer.
It seems like most of my utility friends stayed with the same company.
I wish I had a pension.
Jim
 

RE: How many times have you changed Jobs?

First company: 2 very different jobs in 5 years.

Second company: 2 fairly different jobs in 9 years.

Third Company: Same job for 7 years.

Fourth Company (hopefully last): same job for the last 3 years.

"Why don't you knock it off with them negative waves? Why don't you dig how beautiful it is out here? Why don't you say something righteous and hopeful for a change?" Oddball, "Kelly's Heros" 1970

Please see FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies for tips on how to make the best use of the Eng-Tips Forums.
 

 
 

RE: How many times have you changed Jobs?

Zdas04,
as an engineer I would have expected accuracy and attribution from your quotation:
" ...... but I should have known enigineers couldn't resist thought without mathmatics."  
But I guess paraphrasing is exempt!
blllttt

JMW
www.ViscoAnalyser.com

RE: How many times have you changed Jobs?

It was actually an original phrase.  I'd never heard the one you cited.  I like mine better.

David

RE: How many times have you changed Jobs?

Ah, and I thought you were quoting from the "Equal Opportunities Seminar" thread in which you posted.
Sorry.
neutral

JMW
www.ViscoAnalyser.com

RE: How many times have you changed Jobs?

I remember that thread, just didn't find anything in it particularly quotable.

David

RE: How many times have you changed Jobs?

C'mon.  You know you were all curious.  I was just the one geeky enough to post it first.  Just call me enginerd.

HEC, Yep.  I've been at that company.  They want engineers around to fix all the problems, but don't want to give engineers any time to actually "engineer" something ahead of time to mitigate them.  Just get it to the shop, we'll deal with it them.  

--Scott

http://wertel.eng.pro

RE: How many times have you changed Jobs?

..deal with it THEN*.

Sorry about the typo.

--Scott

http://wertel.eng.pro

RE: How many times have you changed Jobs?

I wasn't criticising, just a social observation.  If we weren't who we are, we wouldn't be here.

David

RE: How many times have you changed Jobs?

star to swertel, ain't that the truth!!!

RE: How many times have you changed Jobs?

Graduated in 99 but spent about a year outside Engineering between my first and 2nd engineering job.

Just over 4 years direct at first place, then almost a year contract.

2.5 at my current place but the first 9 months or so were contract.

So depending how you count either 2 or 4 in just under 8 years.

I wouldn't have left my first one when I did if it wasn't for moving to the States to be with my wife.  They would actually give raises above inflation fairly readily if you played the game and increased your worth to the company etc.

KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...

RE: How many times have you changed Jobs?

Was thinking of putting this all into a spreadsheet and seeing how it looked, but swertel knew I was curious...  thumbsup2      

Robert

RE: How many times have you changed Jobs?

13 jobs in 12 years.

Then one job for 19 years.

Then 7 jobs in 11 years.


Had the world by the tail there for a while...


Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

RE: How many times have you changed Jobs?

Two jobs 26 years
1st job Boilermaker built tanks all across the land mainly breweries (Budweiser, Miller, Red Stripe, Presedente, Medala ect…) and distilleries ( Old Crow ,National Royal Crown ect…)  lasted 20 years Loved every minute of it would not change a thing but started to get old and break down so
2nd job Third party Inspector for Biopharmaceuticals I have been on the Amgen Jobsite for the last 6 years Love this job also
Inspection is easier on the body than building tanks

RE: How many times have you changed Jobs?

5 employers in 12 years. 1 lay off, 1 company closed

It is hard to have a place the is stable enough to work more than 5 years in many industries in the US.

RE: How many times have you changed Jobs?

2 employers, almost 4 years.  Management imploded at the first company.  By the time I left, I was the only engineer (EI, no PEs) in the building.  It was a good thing, because I like my current job a lot.

RE: How many times have you changed Jobs?

4 jobs in 12 years.  This includes one lay-off.

RE: How many times have you changed Jobs?

Graduated: 12/22/05
1st Job: 5/10/06 - 3/17/08
2nd Job: Will Start 3/19/08  

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