Tenure Is False Metric of Success

Brian Fink
2 min readApr 5, 2023

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Photo by Ian Stauffer on Unsplash

Alright, buckle up, because we’re about to unravel a widely-held misconception that’s been as persistent as a pop-up ad from the early 2000s. The notion that time spent at an organization is a success metric has been lingering around like the faint smell of last night’s tequila shots. Here’s why this logic is about as solid as a WeWork IPO:

Comfortable Complacency: Clocking in years at a company could signal stagnation, rather than growth. Picture someone kicking back, toes up, sipping on that warm corporate Kool-Aid without a care in the world. Are they making an impact, or just counting down the days to retirement?

Playing It Safe: When people cling to one job like a starry-eyed teen to their first crush, it’s often because they’re afraid to take risks. But let’s get real, nobody ever disrupted an industry or broke the mold by staying safe and cozy in their cubicle.

The Gilded Cage: Sometimes, the golden handcuffs of a steady paycheck and benefits can be the very thing that stifles innovation and drive. Staying at one place for too long may point to an unwillingness to venture out into the wild unknown and seek new challenges.

So, when you’re evaluating resumes, don’t be swayed by that intoxicating scent of tenure. Dig deeper, look for signs of impact, growth, and a relentless hunger for progress. After all, true success isn’t measured in years spent, but in the value created and the lives touched along the way.

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Brian Fink
Brian Fink

Written by Brian Fink

Executive Recruiter. ✈ #ATL ↔ #SF ✈ Building companies is my favorite. Opinions are my own. Responsibility is freedom. 🖖

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