How long do you stay on the first job?

Hey guys, newbie here.

I just graduated from college and landed my first job. I'm working at a daily paper in Indiana. My question is: How long is the average stay at the first job? The sports editor told me the last three people who had my job moved on within a year.

Is it realistc for me to look to move up to a larger daily after a year at this job? What is the maximum amount of time I'm looking at?

Thanks.

 

Everybody's mileage will vary, but at the least I would think in terms of being there two years.

Think of it this way: It lets you structure your approach to the job with the idea that "next year, I'll know to get started on that volleyball peview a week earlier" or whatever. Always self-critique with an eye on how you'll improve in your next orbit around the sun. Stay focused on improvement and you'll advance; focus on leaving within a year and you may struggle.

 

Until you can find a better job.

Unless you somehow landed your first job out of school and you're making a livable wage.

In which case, Henry's probably closer. But don't starve yourself to tighten up that volleyball preview.

Leave when you have a better offer.

 

The other side of that fence, too ... just be damn sure the grass really IS greener over there.

There is nothing that will floor you more than taking another job, and it proving to be a worse situation than your previous one.

 

That's what Larry Brown always tells me.

Seriously, Zeke makes a good point.

I was only in my first job for six months, and my second for about the same amount of time. Then, 13 years with the same company in two locations. It all evens out over time.

 

About two weeks, but that was at a tomato-packing facility when I was about 12. It was a bad, bad job. I was at my first newspaper job for five years; next gig, about a year, then five years again and then a year. Been at my current place for almost a year and have no plans to leave anytime soon. I'm teaching college and my children can go here tuitition-free. Since they're just 2 and 4 months, I'm in for the long haul.

 

Good advice from Henry there, Terp. When I got my first job out of school, my j-school advisor told me a good rule of thumb was two years, IF you liked the place, the money was OK, and they treated you well. It gave me time to be a rookie for one year and a veteran for the next. After two years it was definitely time to move on, and I latched onto the place covering the ACC I'd set my sights on in college. Plus I'd built up a goodly stock of clips by then.

 

16 months and 18 days is 16 months and 18 days too long in my opinion. If you get the impulse to turn around less than a quarter mile into the town and go back home, follow it.

 

Funny thing, my first job is the longest I've been anywhere -- about 2 years, 3 months. Then I left the biz for a bit. I got back in about 3 1/2 years ago. I've been moving on and up (3 jobs so far) since then.

 

Let's see...I'm at 15 years and counting.

Believe it or not.

 

At my first job I was given good advice by a coworker whose advice and friendship I valued the most. Nobody can tell you when you are ready to leave that job ... but you'll know. It's tough to explain, but you'll realize in your own time when you've run out of challenges, when you've outgrown it and you're ready to take on something new.

 

I can't believe you would do that, though.