‘Shark Tank’ Star Kevin O’Leary Says To Wait 2 Years Before Transitioning Careers
Written by
Martin Dasko
Edited by
Cory Dudak
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Shark Tank star Kevin O’Leary recently shared his thoughts on why you should wait two years before transitioning careers. If you’re looking to make the leap in your career, you may want to think about what he’s suggested, as he’s quite experienced in hiring people. Let’s break down his advice regarding switching jobs too frequently.
Why Stay Two Years at a Job?
While it has become more and more common for young professionals to switch jobs frequently, this doesn’t mean it’s always the best move for your career advancement. O’Leary suggested commitment to your career, as he isn’t a fan of those who transition careers until they’ve put in at least two years of effort.
Why? Firstly, he noted that the company is investing money in you. When a company hires you, they must invest money into onboarding and training. This includes everything from setting up your remote office to allocating funds to have someone train you. If you leave after five months or so, this company essentially wasted money on you with no return. He stated this is a major red flag to other employers who may think twice before, in turn, investing its resources in you.
Secondly, transitioning too quickly gives the impression that you’re not giving it your all. O’Leary noted that if you’re not trying everything to excel in your role, then you’re just looking to escape as soon as you don’t like the job or find something better.
O’Leary finds it a rather glaring red flag when someone hops from company to company every few months, and doesn’t feel like those who do so are doing their best to excel in their roles, and he doesn’t believe people have fully committed themselves to a job unless they’ve stayed there for at least two years to try to make it work.
This then leads us to the most important question…
When Should You Switch Careers?
“If you can hang in for a minimum of 24 months and you’re still on an upward trajectory and want to make a move because you feel as though you’ve maxed out in that particular situation, that’s okay,” suggested O’Leary.
The goal is to try everything you can in your job, giving it your all for at least two years. Doing so also allows you to show your present and future employers that you’re in it for the long hau,l since they have to invest significant resources and finances into hiring you, training you, launching you in your position. This may require you to stick it out, even when it doesn’t feel like the job is the right place for you, because it’s possible that you could just need additional training or experience to feel more confident in your position.
Closing Thoughts
As always, it’s essential to remember that there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution for career advice. You may consider staying longer to see if you can improve your career trajectory before looking for a new role at a different company. Most especially, if you do move on, you don’t want future employers to dismiss your application because they don’t think you’ve committed yourself in prior positions.
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