James Whittaker
Feb 20, 2025 · 5 min read
James Whittaker
Feb 20, 2025 · 5 min read
The Hidden Risk of Staying Too Long
A Subtle Sign Your Executive Career Is Stalling
Most Executives don’t realize there’s a silent risk building beneath the surface of their careers, and it’s tied to staying too long in one role or at one company.
Yes, loyalty and consistency used to be assets. But in today’s market there’s no such thing as a job for life. The longer you stay in the same place, the more invisible damage you might be doing to your career and your earning potential.
You Might Be Underpaid
If you’ve been with your current employer for several years, there’s a strong chance you're not earning what you’re worth. There's a fairly obvious reason for this. The market rewards growth, and staying in one place often signals stagnation.
Companies hire for innovation, expansion, or transformation. They tend to invest in people who reflect forward motion. Like it or not, a long tenure at a single organization doesn’t always send that message.
Why You Earn More At A New Company
The data shows that people who move organizations regularly tend to earn significantly more over the course of their careers.
This is because when you move roles, you typically negotiate a higher salary that reflects current market value. Internal raises rarely keep up with those benchmarks.
As an example, someone who’s made three strategic moves over 12 years would easily out-earn their peer who stayed put the entire time. This is before factoring in compounding earnings. Each salary bump builds on the last and creates a flywheel of financial growth.
Long Tenure Hurts Market Perception
Even if you’re well-compensated, staying too long in one role impacts your market positioning. Let’s say someone’s been a Sales Director for 15 years. A recruiter or hiring manager might reasonably ask, “Why hasn’t this person moved up to VP?”
It introduces doubt about your ambition, your adaptability, or your potential. That perception is costly. If your profile signals stagnation, you risk being seen as someone who’s already hit their ceiling.
Of course, there are exceptions. If you’re already at the top (COO, CMO, CEO), a longer tenure might be a strategic advantage. But for most mid-level to senior leaders, too much time in one role can unintentionally signal a lack of growth.
How to Compete When Everyone Is Qualified
The Executive job market is crowded. For every opportunity, there are dozens (if not hundreds) of candidates who are similarly qualified on paper.
Standing out is not simply a matter of who has a more impressive resume. Nor who has the most years of experience. Your positioning is often what determines success in the Executive job market.
This means showing:
- You’re ambitious
- You’re growing
- You’re ready for a bigger challenge
That signal gets lost if your track record says: “Stayed in one place for 10 years.”
Fair or not, strategically switching companies helps show you're a growth-minded Executive.
How Long Is Too Long?
While there is no universal number, there is a rule of thumb. Six to seven years in the same role is where the risk starts to rise. Fifteen years? You’re almost certainly overdue for a move, unless you're doing something exceptional at the very top.
Even if you like your current role or company, it’s worth asking:
- Am I being paid at market rate?
- Does my resume show clear progression?
- Is there a ceiling here I haven’t acknowledged?
What You Risk By Staying
Staying in one organization too long costs you in a number of ways. To begin, by staying with one employer you miss out on potential earning that you would have made if you had switched. This can tally up to hundreds of thousands (or millions) in missed earnings throughout a career.
You also risk missing out on opportunities to lead bigger teams or drive larger initiatives. Generally the more you switch, the greater the room for growth and opportunity. This can also include less visibility and relevance in a fast-changing market.
You don’t need to burn bridges, especially if you have a good relationship with your current employer. However, if you've been with the same company for too long, you do need to consider a strategy for greater growth and earnings.
Final Thought: Your Career Is a Long Game
However long you've got left in your career, you have some serious opportunity ahead. But only if you make the right moves at the right times.
Three smart career moves over the next decade could be the difference between coasting and landing a C-suite role at a company you truly love.
But you can't leave your future to chance. Plan it. Position yourself. Move with purpose.
Book a call and let’s map out the moves that will get you where you want to go.
Contact
hello@TheAmbitiousExec.com
(914) 559-0737
hello@TheAmbitiousExec.com
(914) 559-0737
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