The Impacts of Having Long or Short Work Durations

It’s 1:23am and I unwillingly woke up from a dream wherein I was assigning the number of company shares each investor will be offered with depending on the way I see their participation or contribution to the idea of launching my own restaurant concept. The dream was doing well until I abruptly woke up from it when a thought came to mind.

As soon as reality hit me, when my spirit came back to consciousness, I remember that I just parted ways with my recent job. I am far from owning my restaurant and have been struggling to land a high paying position because recruiters and owners perceive me as a candidate being either overqualified or underqualified for the position that I am applying for. More importantly, they question the duration that I have spent on each job title that I have taken.

Who wouldn’t? I was once (more than once) a scout trying to hire a sous chef or line cook. When I see that a candidate only lasts three to four months on a job title, I immediately see red flags, thinking that this person’s commitment will be short lived. “This person will just be another come and go,” I would say to myself, another headache. Until recently, and I’ve known a long time ago, that I haven’t had a job duration that lasted more than a year and a half. Although, I want to clarify that I normally stay for at least a year before venturing to a new endeavor, just to show that I still have at least a sense of commitment that can last more than a year.

While we can list all of the excuses or reasons in order to provide an explanation to our past decisions, employers or recruiters on the other hand, see the issue as one-sided. To them, it doesn’t matter if you had to leave because your mom or a loved one passed away and you had to move to a new job, you just didn’t really last long enough for them to consider you as a safe candidate for representation. If you stayed at a job for at least two years, this is where the sweet spot lies—you become desirable to them. Too long, on the other hand, then it might mean that you have the commitment that they’re looking for or (but) you didn’t really want to take any risk and got really comfortable. Or maybe, you were just really happy working for that particular company. 

Well folks, despite having a one-sided view, I would like to explain that the person who is looking at your resume is not the one who is living your life, that’s a fact. I cannot speak for the people who lasted less than a year at a job. I’m sorry, I think there’s really a red flag there, especially if you do it frequently. I represent those who have at least stayed a year in any given position. Being able to spend the year and experience the different seasons (if there are any) at a place is enough for an individual to know whether they see themselves a future with the company or not. Whilst there is a lot of reasons why one jumps to another job is a personal thing, maybe a certain individual values work-life balance and just had a baby that he needed to spend more time with his wife after a year. Maybe the company that Joe’s working for has been delayed with payroll more often than not…after realizing it for a year. Maybe Sheila just doesn’t really see that the company’s culture fit her principles in life, after a year of employment. Do what you have to do, just bear the consequences or realities of your actions. Looking for a new job is a gamble. Candidates gamble to land a new job thinking that they will be more fulfilled, make more and fit the company’s principles. Recruiters are gambling their credibility of providing quality candidates, they’re just doing their jobs too, and they want to be good at it. If they present three or four candidates that don’t last too long, then it makes their recruitment skills questionable. Below, I will explain the impacts and my views regarding the duration of your tenure at work and what to consider before you take that new opportunity.

Less Than A Year

Like I said, staying at a place for too short of a time and doing it more often than not dictates that you do not have the commitment or you do not fit in most companies’ culture(s). If I were you, I’d rather skip putting this entry on your resume and just keep it to yourself.

BUT…

If it is a paid internship, somewhere that is worth mentioning like JP Morgan, Black Rock, Vanguard, Tesla, Noma, Eleven Madison and they just can’t keep or treat you as a normal employee, then that is fine. Make sure you write it down clearly. It will still stand out on your resume, but will not be a defining entry.

Recruiters will see this as “Oh ok, so you have something going on here, but you were just an intern,” they didn’t treat you as a real employee and you probably didn’t have hefty responsibilities aside from picking micro herbs or peeling potatoes.

At Least A Year But Not More Than Two

Summary. This is where they see that you’ve spent a considerate amount of time at a job. You’ve gone through all the ups and downs of the restaurant like Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Restaurant Week, 4th of July (for beach spots) and Christmas and New Year’s Eve. God, just typing these really bother me, it brings back a lot of nightmares.

Benefits.These are serious entries on your resume and will create an image of who you are and how you made the most out of learning for a year. A lot can happen in a year. I’ve got promoted as an intern to a sous chef in a year without evening asking for it. If you are able to create a lot of impact during this time, then it means that you are an effective individual.

Jumping to a new job every year for the right opportunity also allows you to make the most out of your earning potential. It has been proven that people who take new roles often end up getting paid more. Do this if you are in a pinch financially, skip this if money is not a priority. There is plenty to learn in a company that takes more than a year to imbibe and master.

Downsides. Leaving after a year will “waste” or ruin any chance of promotion. Your impact to the company & customers will be cut short and you will never see your real potential with the company. Your “consistency image” for recruiters will also be in question for they will wonder what happened during that year and will question your departure. But that is all perspective and one’s belief, if the reason is sound, then you are fine.

Planning to leave? Consider all options, if it’s just about financial needs and the company doesn’t give you a raise, then I’d rather ask for more responsibilities to get you to where you want to be dollar-wise but if there is no room for a promotion, then only consider moving if the new opportunity will pay you more significantly and if they have a heavier reputation. If it’s a more serious reason than just financial needs and your departure involves your valued principles, happiness or satisfaction or creativity, then only you can decide for yourself. It isn’t bad to move after a year, although, your credibility or commitment will fall short. Just bear in mind that recruiters normally find a tenure something in the likes of…

At Least Two Years

Summary & Benefits. To appear attractive and committed, one must stay for at least two years. Two full years mean that you had the company abuse you not once, but twice and you kind of liked it. Im just kidding. Having two full years at a job shows that you have consistency of running through the crucial holidays, events and everything in between. This also shows that you are committed for a long time and have established a meaningful relationship with your team, colleagues,suppliers and clientele.

I also believe this is where new windows of opportunity will open for you especially if someone is noticing your contributions to the company. This is what a year of working somewhere cannot give you—well, not unless if you’re really, really good at what you’re doing. A potential investor might be observing you and see potential in you.

Downside. I don’t really see a lot of downsides when it comes to staying for two years. Your pay probably didn’t move significantly? But who cares if you are not really bothered by it? If you are making a reasonable salary and your lifestyle doesn’t fluctuate a lot, then you don’t mind having a small incremental raise or none at all. What’s important is you have establishment a certain level of credibility.

Planning to Leave? I wouldn’t if the company has bigger plans for you or if you thinking that there is still something left to do or to improve on. You’ve pretty much mastered the operations of the company and you’re just staying there because of your own personal reason. If not, then consider it only when there is a better one on the horizon. You have the skills, you’ve proven that there’s no problem being committed, then it’s only a matter of time. Pounce when the right opportunity comes.

Three Years or More, 45 Years To Be Exact

Summary. Having a commitment of three years or more means that you have found a company that aligns with your principles in life, is paying you reasonably or that you believe in the future of it. Bank executives who have stayed for ten to fifteen years need not explanation on why they lasted so long.

To be realistic and fair, there are industries where you can see yourself staying for a long time because there is really potential in becoming wealthy or influential. Unfortunately, culinary and the restaurant business is not one of them (more often than not), in my opinion. A Bank executive who climbed up the ranks from being a bank teller or a financial adviser can rake millions and millions of dollars with stock options and shares, etc. By the time you’re in your 50’s or 60’s, or even earlier, you can make at least north of $1M-infinity. Culinary or hospitality on the other hand, will not give you the same results. In addition to the modest pay, it is not physically sustainable to work at hotels and restaurants—hence why people come and go. A normal executive chef, after ten, twenty or thirty years of experience can only or probably make $200,000-$300,000 the most, and this is even pushing it. Of course, there might be some who are making more than that, although, it is not industry standard. A Corporate chef might be able to get more than this but it takes at least 20-40 years for them to get to these numbers, with profit sharing. Not unless if you are the owner of a hotel or a restaurant, then achieving financial independence isn’t always easy to obtain. What’s worse is that inflation is just making the value of money less and less. I would have been so happy if I made $120,000 ten years ago. Today, this translates to a value of probably half of what it used to be.

Benefits. Having committed to a company for a long time tells recruiters that you are reliable. They might give you extra benefits, incentives or special compensation by staying there for a long time. You might get a reputation too. Just make sure that every year that you stay there makes sense, depending on your priority. Tech executives and CEO’s normaly have long tenures because their goals for a company take years and years to come to fruition. It takes a lot of time to move a big ship and sail it at the right direction. On the other hand, chefs, only sail a “small” boat when you compare it to the grand scheme of things. Nonetheless, if the company grows to as big as the Darden restaurant group or Gordon Ramsey’s Empire, then that’s the time you start to make global impact to the economy of gastronomy.

Considering to Leave? If you have incentives, significant bonuses and a good work-life balance, then I wouldn’t. Just stay there and continue your legacy. If nothing is happening, then by all means, find the right opportunity. Everything in life is a transaction. Only you will know which transaction can benefit you.

Downsides. Lost opportunity somewhere? ‘What-could-have-beens’ that you will never know? Slower raise increase in exchange for stability? Not being able to really know your true potential? It’s kind of vague. I wouldn’t happen to know.

I remember a story of when I was working in San Diego. There was or (is) a server who has worked for the hotel for 45 years back when I met him in 2016. He remained a server and never wanted to climb up the ladder. Opportunities for him to climb were offered—he rejected them. He has seen the hotel from the time that it became the center of everything all the way down to its decline. He doesn’t make much anymore, the restaurant barely even gets busy. Although, for some reason, he found the will to stay. I asked him if he ever thought of leaving to find a better opportunity that could have given him a better life, he just gave the words, “I am done, this is my life now.”

As For Me

I did what I have to do when life intervened. Moving to a different spot on a yearly basis doesn’t make me a bad worker. I had to do it to progress and make a comfortable life for myself. In fact, I appreciate it when people I work with from the past still send me messages to this day saying that “It’s not the same anymore.” It means that I had an impact than resounds tremendously. Life intervened and I had to adjust to it, rather than to fight it and lose the battle. You do not go against His will. 

Also, I just haven’t found the right company that aligns with my principles in doing business, especially in Miami. Well, I’ve probably been to one, although I took it for granted. I can also testify and plead guilty that maybe I am way too harsh sometimes, I care too much and take things too serious or personal when it comes to my job. I might be the problem too, who knows? I am self-aware.

You see, I love what I do, I love it too much that it ruins me whenever I see people doing it just because. It’s as if they are mocking your career choice, while on the other hand, here you are doing it to the best of your abilities. You’ll see a professional compared to somebody who cooks or serves just because. It’s a night and day difference.

When employers get to read this, I hope that you will start to see through an individual’s CV and just believe in them when they say that they are committed in what they do. If they give you all the pleasant words yet fall short of delivering, then that is unfortunate. Recruiters are better at reading a person’s body language, intonation of voice and focus when they interview candidates. But what do I know? I am just a chef, ready to cook your next meal.

Finally, I can go back to sleep.