GeekMBA360

When I was fresh out of school, it was during the height of dotcom era. I had a group of friends who graduated from the same computer science programs. Most of us had 3 jobs in five years. You can call us job hoppers, but it was pretty common for young professionals to jump ship during the dotcom boom.

As I grow older and move up the corporate ladder, it is getting more difficult to switch jobs. I was just talking to a friend today who is also a mid-career professional.

With a family to support, stability of an employer becomes a higher priority. In a single-income environment, taking a start-up job is probably not a good idea. The base pay will be lower. And the upside of stock options is very risky.

The industry of desired employer also changes as we become older. Consumer technology company such as Facebook is a young man’s game. More experienced mid-career professionals are better suited for enterprise/B2B companies. Enterprise/B2B products are more complex, requires more specialized experience, and a deep understanding of business processes. In this type of companies, experiences become more valuable.

When you plan for your next job change, I suggest you to think about  your age and where you are in your career progression. Think ahead a little bit – time flies and age is an important factor in the high tech industry. You want to figure out the right niche for your career given your experience and expertise.