The One Phrase That Could Hurt Your Product Career

Committing long-term to one company might feel secure, yet it can be limiting. Here’s why.

During our 20 years of recruiting for early-stage tech startups, one thing has become abundantly clear, career paths in tech are rarely static.

If a candidate declares, “I’m looking for a company where I can stay 5–10 years,” it raises eyebrows as this statement doesn’t quite fit the startup persona we often engage with. After all, why are you in tech if you’re seeking long-term stability?

It’s not about questioning a person’s ambition or dedication but rather understanding the fast-paced nature of the tech industry and how fixed timelines often don’t align with reality.

The truth is, while committing to one company for 5–10 years might seem like a secure plan, it could actually be a limiting perspective. Here’s why.

There are cases where tech professionals have spent extended periods at a single company. This commitment often wasn’t part of their initial plan, but rather just happened organically. They could be excelling in their role, gaining increasing responsibilities, a promotion, or perhaps the company became ‘one of those companies’ who had hockey-stick growth and now their stocks or RSUs are netting income. Suddenly, they’ve found themselves financially secure and reluctant to leave.

It is important to recognize that career paths vary. While this approach may have worked well for others, it’s not for everyone or most in the fast moving world of tech. We don’t have to tell you that most startups don’t turn into unicorns or continually raise sizable rounds to facilitate major growth.

To cultivate a successful product career, adopt the mindset of growth and a desire to continually learn. This often requires finding a balance between stability and growth, knowing when to stay and when to move on.

There is a long-standing misconception that expressing a desire for long term commitment automatically makes you a more attractive candidate. Depending on your function, staying at one company for too long can actually hurt your career.

We are sadly seeing this play out with some who were hit by downsizings in 2023. Sticking with one company for the long haul left them behind the curve. That cutting-edge product they once championed quickly became considered a ‘legacy.’ And if you haven’t been networking and keeping on top of your professional network it’s probably no longer a source for job referrals.

The way companies hire these days is a whole new ball game. So if your job search approach and resume are stuck in the past, this might be the reason you’re not getting interviews for roles that you’ve deemed yourself qualified to do.

Employers aren’t always seeking longevity.

Usually, you’re brought into a startup to drive growth, move the needle, or discover product-market fit. At each stage of a startup, there are new challenges, new competitors, and untapped opportunities — and the ability to excel at each of these stages of growth is never guaranteed.

Because of this, employers typically hire someone with the skill sets to solve a problem or to realize an opportunity for today, limiting their ability to add value in the long term as new growth goals and ambitions for the company begin to materialize.

To make yourself a more attractive candidate, here are ways to reimagine your narrative and increase your chances of getting hired:

1. Add Value

Focus your narrative on how you can add value to an organization and how you can accomplish the mission you’d be hired for. Highlight accomplishments and outcomes that align with the prospective employer’s goals.

2. Curate

Curate what you share and curate your message to align with the specific needs of each stakeholder you’re speaking with. Whether it’s the Founder, Product Leader, or HR Leader — a one-size-fits-all approach will not resonate with companies seeking a well-rounded candidate.

3. Communicate Positively

Remember, positivity goes a long way. Communicating positively draws people in — people hire people they like and can envision working with, not necessarily those with the best technical skills.

It’s important to remember that in tech no one is solving for hiring needs 5–10 years down the line. Companies come and go, some get acquired or bundled into other portfolio companies, making long-term predictions uncertain. Employers are primarily focused on solving for their hiring needs today rather than speculating about the distant future.

By aligning your value to the current needs of the hiring stakeholder and demonstrating how your past achievements can help them achieve their current outcomes, you increase your chances of being hired. From there, it’s about dedication, focus, hard work, and doing what you promised to deliver.

While the desire for long term stability is understandable, try to approach this aspiration with a healthy dose of pragmatism and flexibility. Instead of fixating on a rigid timeline or a long term commitment to a single company, strive to cultivate a growth mindset. In doing so, you’ll position yourself as a sought-after candidate with a breadth and depth of experiences that will excite a Founder/CEO.

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