Became self-employed* 28 years ago and never looked back.

*misnomer...actually you leave having one employer to having many.

Actually WBAHN just did a quite good post about that very subject which can be found here.

Ron

 

Heh heh, me too. 3 jobs since I left college in 1978. 7.5 yrs, 8.5 yrs and then 13 yrs with a retirement stint in the middle of the last one. However, I was extremely lucky to work for companies that a) had really fun, challenging assignments, b) gave stock options and c) were very successful. It didn't hurt that I worked on key products at all three companies.

As for job candidates with "laundry list" work history. I would pass them over in a heart beat when I was hiring. That would sorely vex recruiting but I was able to build stable teams that got the job done.

 

So you changed jobs then immediately retired??

I see where that can be taken out of context. I changed from employed to retired, I was at my last job for 12 years, before that I worked 28 years for a Carrier Air Conditioning plant. But they closed down so I got a job teaching.

 

I’ve changed jobs every 5 years (approx) since 1980. Always for the challenge/opportunity. And got good salary bumps along the way. I love a new job, it’s a clean slate to do with what you will.

1. 1980 VAX computer systems manager for major oil company office exploring in Alaska. End result dry hole office closed. https://www.upi.com/Archives/1984/01/20/Sohio-abandons-15-billion-Mukluk-well/8135443422800/
2. 1985 Systems manager at database software company. Quit when company was sold. http://www.nytimes.com/1990/10/23/business/company-news-ask-computer-buys-ingres.html
3. 1990 systems manager at Wells Fargo Nikko Investment advisors. Quit when project to develop new fund accounting system collapsed in failure. Don’t have a link for that, such failures are usually swept under the rug.
4. 1995 CIM systems manager major semiconductor maker. We made millions of 486 chips but then were clobbered when the Pentium came out and our Fabs became obsolete. https://www.itworld.com/article/2794878/hardware/amd-closes-two-factories--lays-off-2-300.html
5. 2001 Systems manager at major internet stock brokerage. Rode that rocket until main datacenter closed in California and moved to Atlanta. https://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/stories/2006/05/15/daily29.html
6. Three year break accompanying my wife on her overseas assignment.
7. 2013 got a call out of the blue and went to a local medical computer services company. Quit when the entire IT department was outsourced.

So there you are, sorry for any typos this was done on my phone.