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I was going to ask that as well! What's the HN community's view of a reasonable amount of time at an employer? Given that startups are way crazier, require way

I was going to ask that as well! What's the HN community's view of a reasonable amount of time at an employer? Given that startups are way crazier, require way longer hours, and are less stable financially and politically than normally established companies. Asking because I've worked for several startups and tech management has changed several times in a year for both of them, they loose and gain huge streams of revenue rapidly, have worked burnout hours at times at all of them. All factors that have made me seriously question my employment there at times but the knowledge I'm gaining makes it to good to give up for now.

pm 9y ago
This is highly contextual. I've got a series of 3 month stints on my CV as I'm a contractor. I usually come in to fix things, but by the time they call me in most of the money has been spent on shitty agencies.
- bowlich 9y ago
  If you're a contractor wouldn't your resume show continuous employment for one company (yourself) with each 3-month stint listed as a client?
bigiain 9y ago
This: https://hackerlife.co/blog/san-francisco-large-corporation-employee-tenure https://hackerlife.co/blog/san-francisco-large-corporation-e... Suggests median tenures at small tech companies can be as low as 1.5years. For me - it depends on the stage of career a candidate is at. If you're not job hopping every 2-3 years in the early stages of your career (say, first 8-10 years out of school), you're without doubt losing out monetarily (which may indicate a lack of ambition). On the other hand, if you've not managed to hold down a job for over two years (or any job for over 18 months), you ring bells in my head of maybe just having managed to not get let go for lack of performance and bailing out before it makes it to your record. Those are both offset of some of your roles are listed as contracts (but rest assured I'll be getting your references or LinkedIn or network-sourced ex-colleagues checked to make sure they don't describe them as permanent full time roles).
fjeuplos 9y ago
"What's the HN community's view of a reasonable amount of time at an employer?" ... If your a contractor, 6 months or more.

pm 9y ago

This is highly contextual. I've got a series of 3 month stints on my CV as I'm a contractor. I usually come in to fix things, but by the time they call me in most of the money has been spent on shitty agencies.

bowlich 9y ago
If you're a contractor wouldn't your resume show continuous employment for one company (yourself) with each 3-month stint listed as a client?

bigiain 9y ago

This: https://hackerlife.co/blog/san-francisco-large-corporation-employee-tenure https://hackerlife.co/blog/san-francisco-large-corporation-e... Suggests median tenures at small tech companies can be as low as 1.5years. For me - it depends on the stage of career a candidate is at. If you're not job hopping every 2-3 years in the early stages of your career (say, first 8-10 years out of school), you're without doubt losing out monetarily (which may indicate a lack of ambition). On the other hand, if you've not managed to hold down a job for over two years (or any job for over 18 months), you ring bells in my head of maybe just having managed to not get let go for lack of performance and bailing out before it makes it to your record. Those are both offset of some of your roles are listed as contracts (but rest assured I'll be getting your references or LinkedIn or network-sourced ex-colleagues checked to make sure they don't describe them as permanent full time roles).

fjeuplos 9y ago

"What's the HN community's view of a reasonable amount of time at an employer?" ... If your a contractor, 6 months or more.