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Permalink Reply by Valentin JANIAUT on February 7, 2012 at 3:55pm

Hello Philipp,

That's still true for the big company in Korea. It is not only a question of mentality but also the contract usually "lock" an employee to his company (non competition close).

Obviously, it does not apply for smaller company and not so much qualify worker which have an unstable situation like in many country.

It also does not apply to foreigner usually, large company would usually have a 2yr (or more) contract with a foreigner and then it seems it is not so easy to stay. Foreigner does not like to stay in the same company too actually !

Cheers,

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Permalink Reply by Mike Park on February 7, 2012 at 10:05pm

Philipp - We'll need to put a time line to give meaning, or answer, to your question.

Phase One: 1960s-1997 (Pre-IMF): High growth period for Korea's economy (8~15%), a person entered one-company and typically one stayed until their retirement. Wages were comparatively/relatively low. Pay difference was not too much different. Company loyalty is a virtue. Your university degree meant (70~80% of the time) a good job for life. China was a still a closed-economy. Life expectancy was 65-75.

Phase Two: 1998-2008 (IMF to Global Financial Crisis): Many people were forcefully laid-off (asked to, forced to leave, their company). Companies (employers) could no longer guarantee life-time employment. Economic growth was slow (6~10%). China becomes the factory of the world. Korea because a high income (wage) country according to OECD definition.

Phase Three: 2009-today (Post Global Financial Crisis): An age of the working poor and high unemployment. Flat economic growth (3~7% - flat means that growth is the same - or almost the same - as the rate of inflation). Pay (total compensation) is very different from company to company. A person will work for at least 2~4 companies during their lifetime whether they like it or not. Company loyalty is not strongly considered as a virtue as it was in the past. With 80% of student attending school beyond high-school, your university degree is just a piece of paper. Graduating from a good school gets you into a good company, but it can no longer guarantee a happy and rewarding life. Lifetime employment for new college graduate is very rare now rather than the norm. The US owes China billions of dollars in the post-Lehman world; and the Europe wants China to help bailout Greece. Life expectancy reaches 85-95 years old. Although 79% expect to be with the same company in a year's time; more than 70% actually want to switch jobs deep inside.

Overall, and now that we're in the age of Phase 3 (given the above context), switching employers is not so much frowned upon as it was in the past. However, if one cannot stay at one company for more than 3-to-5 years, employers will question one's ability to deal with difficult situations (social/interpersonal skills) and to hold down a job (ability to take on responsibilities and execute). In other words, if you have worked for 15~20 years, even today it is not good to see more than 3-to-4 employers on your CV/resume. If you have less than 15 years experience, it is desirable to see less than 2-to-3 employers. Kindly note, however, that these measures are changing, and are different from company-to-company; becoming more difficult to generalize.

Even in the United States, if you switch too many jobs too often, you may be seen as a "job-hopper" which is not too good should you wish to seriously pursue an executive career track/path. 

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Permalink Reply by Jay on February 21, 2012 at 3:00pm

Rule of thumb in Korea is 3-5 years per job, absolute minimum is 1 year. The US could be 2 years especially if you work in the tech sector.

• Exceptions to the rule
• • You were laid off or fired
  • Your contract was not renewed
  • A headhunter wants to steal you
  • You work in web/tech
  • Life changing event (move, marriage, health, etc...)

In the end, it all depends on how you spin it.

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