Know-How Exchange : Career/Training

For most people, it is important to stay employed so we can pay our bills - if your current job offers stability AND challenging work AND advance opportunities, definitely is better to stay on the same job for a long period.

A high% of start up companies are unstable and immature, but if you get lucky, they do offer advancement opportunities, exciting work, and if you are really lucky awesome financial reward.

It all depends on your risk appetite.

It depends on your personal make-up and preferences and on the industry/company. There is no one-size-fits-all answer.

Are you asking which of the two scenarios makes you more employable to another company? Or what is more important to the job holder?

On the former question (makes one more employable), both are generally fine (at least as I see it). What is considered a flag is lots of job hopping (say an average of less than 2 hears per job). So even 3 or 4 companies over 10-12 years would be fine.

But hopping amongst jobs when opportunities open up can be (if done strategically) a way to increase a person's opportunities. Generally you can get larger pay raises and more opportunities for advancement through changing jobs over staying within a single company.

But stay strategic on industry, along with positions. For many jobs (more so in marketing, especially marketing and product management) industry experience is important, and switching industries can set you back.