Reader Pierre-Jean has been at the same company for years – and now he’s after a new job, he’s starting to worry how that looks. Jobs Guru James Innes is here with some advice
I’ve spent most of my career with one company and, until recently, I thought that was a strength. I know the business inside out, I’ve taken on more responsibility as time has gone on, I’ve demonstrated loyalty.
But now that I’ve started to look elsewhere, I’m beginning to worry that what I thought was loyalty may be viewed rather differently by outsiders – and not very favourably!
Could spending so long in one organisation actually be working against me as I apply for jobs elsewhere? And, if so, why?
Pierre-Jean, Leeds
I have to say that, yes, it can count against you, Pierre-Jean. But it’s not always for the reasons that people think.
Long service is not, in and of itself, a bad thing. Any sensible recruiter will recognise that loyalty has real value. The trouble comes when a CV makes those years look too much like you might just have been stagnating.
They start wondering whether you can only operate in one environment and whether you have become too used to one culture, one way of doing things, one set of people. In other words, whether you would be able to manage the transition to another organisation and cope well there.
That may well be very unfair, of course. Plenty of people who have spent years in one company are actually more adaptable than job-hoppers who have never stayed long enough to learn anything properly. But you do need to tackle these concerns head-on.
It all comes down to how you picture that long period of continued employment on your CV. In particular, I recommend showing what changed while you were there – new responsibilities, bigger projects, wider influence, tougher problems….
Brainstorm for compelling material to demonstrate that you weren’t just standing still, treading water; you were continually progressing and moving forward.
Top Tip:
If you have been with one employer for many years, it is vital to show growth. Make it clear that your role developed, your responsibilities grew, and you didn’t simply sit in the same chair enjoying the status quo.
Spotlight On: ‘Lifers’
Some employers get oddly suspicious of people who have spent most of their career in one place.
They start imagining someone who is set in their ways, resistant to change, and likely to be foxed the moment they are dropped into a new system with new personalities and different politics.
The point is that you can’t leave them to guess. If your long service included change, progression, pressure and wider responsibility, make that obvious. In fact, make it more than obvious! Otherwise they may glance at the dates, make up their minds in a split second, and move on to the next candidate before you have had even half a chance.
Get a head start in your job hunt with James’ new book, The Job You’ve Always Wanted – out now from Pearson at £16.99.
Our Jobs Guru, James Innes, is a best-selling careers author and founder of the world’s leading group of professional CV and resume writers .