As a recruiter, one of the first things I ask myself when reviewing anyone’s CV or LinkedIn profile is ‘how long have they worked in their current role?’

It’s second nature to me now. If I see someone has worked in their current role for less than one year, then I can already predict how a company would respond to their career changes.

‘This candidate is too jumpy’.

‘She switches her career too often’.

‘He doesn’t seem committed’.

Are they wrong to make these observations?

Staying at one employer for an extended period of time certainly can show commitment, and longevity, and give potential employers comfort that you stayed with your previous business for so long.

But as an employee, should you stick with a company that no longer gives you what you want?

As a hiring manager, are we right to disregard a candidate because they only stayed with their previous company for 6 -12 months?

That depends on context.

I’ve worked for companies that I didn’t enjoy, and I’ve worked for businesses where it became obvious that there was no long term potential.

So, why should anyone force themselves to stay at a business that no longer provides them what they want, just to make their CV look more valuable?

The average tenure for software developers in Munich is 18 months right now.

The market is crazy right now.

There are so many amazing companies offering incredible opportunities, and I can’t remember the last time I spoke to a developer that wasn’t already interviewing with at least 3 other companies because of that, it’s so important that companies consider their attrition, and make sure they offer their developers everything they need to maintain their staff.