How long have you been at your current job?

DuckDogDr

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Aug 24, 2019
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641
I seem to get “Frustrated “ after about 3 years and start getting ready to move jobs… I feel like unfortunately talking with classmates that is the norm now to bounce from A to B to Z… there’s no real chance to advance within a workplace unless you swap jobs / companies completely.

On one hand I’m jealous of my dad and Buddy’s dads that have worked for the same companies for 30+ years… I feel there has to be some reward in there somewhere … but on the other hand I feel like they wasted that time in not owning their own businesses.. . Helping someone else reap the benefits of their work ..

Im torn as recent (within the past 36 hours recent) turn of events at work. Have really made me question why I’m not figuring out a way to go in business for myself .
Even before events unfolded.. I have been questioning how much longer I see myself at my current job. My girlfriend even notices a change in my demeanor about 12 hours before my shifts start.. and I’m thinking recent events are a sign it’s time for me to leave
 

FLATHEAD

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Jun 27, 2021
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I used to be on a one year cycle. Got bored and moved on.
Been at my present position 21 years.
 

robby denning

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Feb 25, 2012
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SE Idaho
sucks to dislike your job. I feel for you.

I've been a both an employee with same company for 30 years this coming January, AND self-employed for about 27 of those 30 concurrently with businesses I've owned.

Both have advantages and disadvantages.

Myth of owning own business is "less hassle". No it's more as youre responsible for everything all tthe time, You don't get to really shut it off. You mention shift work, so sounds like there's a beginning and end, not so much with self-employed. It's all on you! In a company, the risk is carried by the shareholders, and they get to lose the sleep at night more often than the joe employee.

But self-employ can give you more freedom in a sense too. Just depends on how much you need to make and what you don't.

Just move slow and make good decisions. Reputation is still important if you're going to work for someone else

good luck, lots of guys on here will have good advice.
 

bbrown

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Mar 9, 2012
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Laporte - CO
18 years and tooo damn long but it’s a pretty good arrangement with decent pay and lots of freedom to disappear to the woods so I won’t complain. Too much…

I’m a firm believer in the idea of “work to live not live to work” and going into business for yourself is great as long as you are a wolf pack of 1. Employees ruin everything…

I’m in the process of starting a bit of a side hustle and it will most likely never be anything I can lean on solely but I enjoy it and hope to grow that business into something that can occupy my spare time while funding some new toys and hunting trips.
 
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ToolMann

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Dec 8, 2020
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680
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Parker, CO
10 years coming up in February. Longest I've ever been at one place. I pondered leaving a few years ago due to lack of growth opportunities, but that changed for the better. I'm currently planning to retire from here. We'll see how the next 17 years go. 😉
 
Joined
Dec 30, 2014
Messages
8,181
Still work for the same company that hired me out of college in 2010. There has been plenty of opportunity for advancement although I was in the same position that I started with for the first 4 years.

There has been multiple times where things became very frustrating but i'm glad I worked through them.

Everyone has different motivations to get up and deal with the daily stressors and challenges. Maybe you just get motivated by something fresh.

As far as wasting time not doing your own thing.. to each his own but I have enough responsibility worrying about someone else's $ and have trouble disconnecting from work as it is. Not sure I'd enjoy taking it a step further with my own business although i'm sure it can be very liberating and rewarding.
 
Joined
Sep 23, 2018
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1,936
Location
Santa Rosa, CA
Little over 3-1/2 years at my current employer. Only 2 more weeks to go, gave my notice last week. Been in the industry since highschool but it’s time for a career change.
 

Poser

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Dec 27, 2013
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Durango CO
I’ve heard it said that in modern job settings, assuming you have a desire to move up, if you don’t move up or get a raise in around 3 years or so, best to move on. After that timeline, the company has little incentive to promote you or pay you more money. They already have you.
In this job market, if they aren’t incentivizing you to stay, you can likely take a step up elsewhere.
 

TSAMP

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Jul 16, 2019
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+1 with Robby. I've been in my position 13 years. I've started looking and had interviews. But I have aton of vacation and am generally happy at my current company. Nothing has tripped my trigger at all but I'm glad I looked around. If your unhappy start looking, but don't think you HAVE to move on. Plenty of folks who took salary cuts to be happier in life. I think there are two types of people who start their own business. Ambitious people who will work there ass off and make it successful and advance, and people who generally hate authority and don't want to report to anyone and either limp along doing enough to pay the bills, or fail. I'm seeing aton of the later in the construction field recently.
 

280Ackley

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Jun 4, 2014
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Idaho
I had 15 years at my last place and didn’t even make it 2 years at my current job. Gave my two weeks notice and tomorrow is my last day. After 17 years in industrial sales I took a job being a warehouse supervisor at one of my largest and best customers. Start on the 20th and can’t wait. Yeah I’ll lose some freedom that I’ve had but I’ll be home at the same time every night now and not have to worry about my phone ringing and being pulled away on emergency breakdowns now.
 
Joined
Jul 20, 2014
Messages
931
Location
Kirtland, NM
30 years and probably 15-20 more to go. Have had a few side gigs during the off season in the beginning. Construction, electrician, masonry. When the fall hit we busting out critters for about 5 months then only a few domestic animals here and there. As we got busier then we would expand our business. Got to the point where it was get really big or get out of the business. So, we built a 4,000 sq ft plant. Added on the next year, added on in 2012, adding on again this next year. Will be over 10,000 sq ft meat plant. It’s been one of those success stories you always here about. Started out by converting a garage into a small meat shop to where we are now. It’s rewarding but has all the challenges of owning your own business. The hardest challenge right now is finding people who want to work. Tuff job to work in and the turnover rate is high. Started with 10 employees in August and down to 6 now.
 

Scoot

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Joined
Nov 13, 2012
Messages
1,521
23 years. Loved working for a small non profit. Big corp bought us out and that's been more mixed. I love what i do though.
 

Britt-dog

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Joined
Jul 19, 2016
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230
Location
Cheney WA
27 years with the same company. Started in the warehouse and now in sales management. Some things are good some bad. But I’m committed now and it’s hard to argue with the money,the perks, and six weeks of PTO. I’m 49 and may be able to retire by 60.
 

Axlrod

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Jan 8, 2017
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SW Montana
8 years ago today I started my own business. before that it was 23 years in corporate America. I tell my kids find something you like. you are going to do it forever!
 
Joined
Jan 5, 2019
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Idaho
Coming up on 5...

This past year I was getting a little stagnant, saw peers moving up etc. Gave my 2 weeks and had taken a job at another company for a ~50% raise. Current company said no way, write your own job description for a promotion and we'll match the pay. Senior management seems to just like having me kicking around the company doing my thing. Took the counter offer because this company offers a lot of stability and I respect the guys I work with. We'll see if that was a mistake or not.
 
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