How many different companies have you worked for in your career?

[susans]

Long ago working for one company used to be very normal.  You would choose a company and stay with it throughout your career.  Those days have long gone.  I am sure there are a few that have stuck with one company are you one of those people?  How many companies have you worked for?


My personal experience (getting out the fingers to count!)  

High School/College - 3 part time jobs

Full Time - 4 jobs

Temp in between can't remember.  Not too many, but still more than I can remember. Two of my full time jobs came from the temp positions.

[msmarieh]

Gosh, I have always been a job hopper...

I have worked for nine companies in 20 years, not counting the five years from that time I worked as a temp!!!

Sometimes it was circumstances (got married, moved across country, hubby got out of military, moved again, bought a house elsewhere, etc.). Often it was choice because I got bored or didn't like something about the workplace (usually ethical related).

Those are actually only the full time positions I worked. When I was teenager, I was working multiple jobs at one time! I was always looking for ways to make money!

Marie

[diamondlady]

I know my dad did that, worked for the same company, and it was his only full time job outside of college he had for 20 plus years.  He's since retired from that position.  

Me, I have had several jobs in the last gosh 20 plus years now.  This current job I have been in for 10 years just last month, and I am not bored, and learning alot still in the same positon, which is great.  I've had 3-4 other full time jobs, but the next longest position for me was only for 3-4 years, aside from that, I either was on layoff from one position, or left on my own to find something closer to home.  I'm still in that same find something closer to home position and loving every minute of it, except my boss is getting ready to retire, and things may have to change a bit, but, I will adjust with no problems. I know way too much!

Diamondlady
Peer Moderator

Edited by diamondlady on 04/12/07 08:47 PM.

[laurafmcdermott]

Nine companies in 13 years.  Yikes.

[Atlanta Z3]

12 companies since 1980 - now I feel old.  I was centralized, decentralized several times in the 80's, in the 90's I did job hop every 12-18 months - but up the ladder and more responsibility.  One of my dh's friend was nagging me about job hopping.  I responded in ten years I had increased my salary by 40% what had his increase been?  (He was and still is with the same company.)
I will say that now that I am in my mid 40's, I'm tired of job hopping, tired of learning new industries and computer systems.  I would like to stay where I am for a while - it helps that I really like where I am!  But that doesn't mean I want to brain stagnate - I think for the new year I am going to take a foreign language class!

[ozbound]

3 different companies, just counting full-time permanent positions. The first was an environmental foundation, the 2nd an engineering firm and now a window/door company. I've temped in a lot of different places though!

[duque]

One company in 24 years!!! Started off as a receptionist at 18; gone through every single department and I have been PA to the MD for the last 13 years!!

[gee4]

Too many to mention!

[itsme_calista]

Since '89 I've worked for 8 different companies, also worked for myself for 5 years.  Longest position lasted 9 years (started as receptionist and worked my way up to PA) shortest was about 6 months.

Must admit to having itchy feet now, wanting a new challenge etc, but they have just paid for me to do some training so I'm staying put for a while.

Callie

[raindance]

For the past twenty years I have worked for four companies.  The first job lasted only six months (not the right job for me, but I learned a lot), the second one, a year (too far to travel). I was in my last job nine years and am coming up to nine years service in my current post.  

Some of my colleagues seem to have been here since The Flood, which must mean that my company is doing something right.

Raindance

[Cathy S]

Over a 20 year period - 6 companies (12 different jobs), 3 years career break and temped at around 15 companies (some of which I hated and some of which liked me and kept asking me back!)

Longest I have spent at one company was 8 years and that accounts for 5 different positions because they kept restructuring!

It sounds quite mad now I have written it down

Cathy

[jennika]

I never thought i was a company jumper but I have worked for 8 companies in 10  years, one year I went was a bad year and 4 of those were all smooshed in.

[queenbean]

6 companies in 23 years (but that includes 7 years in college and university - serial student!).  First job 3 months - nightmare, couldn't get away quick enough - current job 8 years and counting.

QB

[mfrance]

I worked for 26 years with NatWest in France.
Temping: can't count how many!
Finished off career in 4 different pharmaceutical companies, always aiming at a better job/salary.

Marie-France



EUMA Website Co-ordinator and
2008 Annual Conference organising team member

[countrigal]

For career-type jobs... 2 companies ever.  This doesn't count the odd-jobs I did while in College, or when I was first married.  Include those after I was no longer a student but a wife, and it increases to 4.  And there was the one temp job for 2 weeks while I waited to get my position in company #2.  For those 2 companies, I have a combined 12 years invested.  Not bad, I'd say.  Of course, I've had several jobs within those companies and have hopped between sub-companies (left the hospital and came to the admin-side in my last jump), but still only under 2 company titles.

CountriGal
Peer Moderator