Nike Inc recently announced their incoming president and CEO as Elliott Hill, and his LinkedIn profile has been going viral as a result.
This is because it shows that throughout his career he spent a total of 32 years working for Nike, starting as an intern in 1988 and working his way up to a top job as President of Consumer and Marketplace in 2018.
He retired in 2020, but is now making a major comeback to take on the top job. But it’s not his shiny new role that has left people fascinated, it’s the many roles he’s undertaken during his career at Nike.
Between 1988 and 2020 he had 14 different job titles, getting promoted to a new role every two to four years, sometimes even within the space of a year.
On X (formerly Twitter) many have commented on how his CV is a wonderful example of company loyalty paying off, but it does beg the question: how long should you really stay in one job for?
Amanda Augustine, a careers expert at TopCV doesn’t believe Elliott’s career progression is an example of the ‘norm’ when it comes to promotions these days.
While she claims there’s no hard and fast rule about how long to stay with one company for, she does believe there are some questions we should all be asking ourselves when it comes to career growth, especially if we’re looking to get ahead.
And if you haven’t had a promotion within the last three years, it’s definitely time to start thinking about your next steps, according to the expert.
‘Career progression can vary depending upon your industry, your profession and your personal goals,’ she tells Metro.co.uk. ‘If you’re trying to work out whether it’s time to leave your job and find work elsewhere, ask yourself the following questions:When was my last promotion?If it’s been more than three years since your last promotion — or a significant pay rise — consider why.
‘Have you made your desire to be promoted clear to your boss? What feedback have you received about your performance in the past 12-18 months? (Hint: if you haven’t received feedback in awhile, this is your sign to schedule a 1-to-1 with your boss and ask for it). Have you advanced as far as possible until your manager is promoted or leaves?
‘Am I still learning and growing?While promotions are a clear sign you’re climbing the career ladder, there are other factors to consider, such as learning new skills or gaining more responsibility. The key is to continue progressing at a steady rate. If you realise you’ve been doing the same tasks for several years without advancement, it might be time to explore other opportunities within or outside of your current company.’
But if you love the company you work for and don’t want to leave, don’t panic. Amanda doesn’t think staying put is a mistake or the ‘wrong’ decision, just as long as you can demonstrate on your CV that you have continued to steadily progress throughout your time there.
For instance, this might be through title changes, promotions, and an expansion of skills, projects, and responsibilities. Through all of this, when you do decide to leave, you are able to show prospective employees that you have value.
And before you decide to throw the towel in on your current job as you haven’t been promoted in a few years, do have a think about the industry you’re working in. It all comes back to that ‘norm’ we mentioned earlier, as this will differ between jobs.
‘In some industries, job hopping every two to three years is normal, especially in tech, startups, and creative fields,’ Amanda adds.
‘In more traditional fields, staying in a role for four to five years might be typical. Regardless of the industry, staying in a role where you feel stagnant, unchallenged or unfulfilled can actually hinder your overall career growth, rather than help it.’
And of course, whether you stay or go might actually depend on how your day-to-day job is making you feel. If your job is impacting your health, don’t make the mistake of staying put.
‘If your workplace is toxic or your job is negatively impacting your mental or physical health, you should never force yourself to stay simply to reach an arbitrary workiversary. Prioritising your wellbeing is essential, and no job is worth compromising your health.’
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