Why you need 5 years at a job to be successful

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In reading Malcolm Gladwell’s new book, Outliers (advance release version, regular will be available November 18), one of the topics he brings up is the rule of 10,000 hours, from Daniel Levitin. Levitin cites that this is about 3 hours a day for 10 years, give or take. If you work 40 hours a week at your job, you’re looking at 5 years to achieve 10,000 hours of time and experience.

Consider this: in an economy when the average worker lasts about 2 years in any given job, how many workers have expertise? How many workers have achieved any degree of mastery? 1 in 4 workers at any given company has been there less than a year, according to Department of Labor statistics. 1 in 2 has been with their company less than 5 years.

Translation: that means that half the workforce is probably not developing expertise in their job at their company.

Certainly, some trades let you accrue experience no matter where you work, but for the most part, learning the ins and outs of an organization and how it functions requires a level of mastery all its own. You may be a proficient public relations professional, but are you proficient at navigating the hallways of your firm? You may be a financial aid professional, but are you proficient at the culture of your business?

This is why the idea of the golden rolodex not only persists, but has great validity. I can say from personal experience that after 5 years in the financial aid industry, my personal network is significantly more useful to me and my employer than it was on the first day of the job, or even after a couple of years. When you hire a seasoned veteran from any industry, they bring experience and their personal network. You’re not just hiring a person for their talent, because there’s a lot of talent out there. You’re hiring for their mastery, for their life experience and insights.

So here’s the takeaway: how many times have you changed jobs in the last 5 years? How many times will you change in the future? If you’re changing constantly, how are you going to build mastery?

If you’re not willing to stick it out at your current employer, find one where you can, because you’ll need the time to build experience and achieve mastery.

Comments

14 responses to “Why you need 5 years at a job to be successful”

October 21, 2008

Amy

Interesting read, Chris. I will admit that I don't usually hit the 5 year mark, in the past it is because I settled for jobs that I could do, not that challenged me or that I would grow with. I now work in a place where 75% of the people have been here for 20 years or more, doing the same job. They have lost the ability to learn new things, to keep up with outside forces and become obstacles to getting the job done.

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October 21, 2008

Jay Moonah from Wild Apricot

It's an interesting idea, but I don't know if it's a precise enough analogy. Doesn't the 10,000 hours rule have more to do with mastery of a skill that is somewhat “fixed”? Playing piano, shooting free throws, solving complex equations… those are tasks where you can develop clear “mastery.” Personal relationships and ability to operate effectively within a particular workplace culture strike me as fundamentally different. Sure, it takes time to build relationships and knowledge, but what does “mastery” look like in those realms? It seems to me it's almost impossible to create an objective measure when there are so many other variables in professional situations.

Reply
October 21, 2008

Amy

Interesting read, Chris. I will admit that I don't usually hit the 5 year mark, in the past it is because I settled for jobs that I could do, not that challenged me or that I would grow with. I now work in a place where 75% of the people have been here for 20 years or more, doing the same job. They have lost the ability to learn new things, to keep up with outside forces and become obstacles to getting the job done.

Reply
October 21, 2008

Jay Moonah

It's an interesting idea, but I don't know if it's a precise enough analogy. Doesn't the 10,000 hours rule have more to do with mastery of a skill that is somewhat “fixed”? Playing piano, shooting free throws, solving complex equations… those are tasks where you can develop clear “mastery.” Personal relationships and ability to operate effectively within a particular workplace culture strike me as fundamentally different. Sure, it takes time to build relationships and knowledge, but what does “mastery” look like in those realms? It seems to me it's almost impossible to create an objective measure when there are so many other variables in professional situations.

Reply
October 21, 2008

Amy

Interesting read, Chris. I will admit that I don't usually hit the 5 year mark, in the past it is because I settled for jobs that I could do, not that challenged me or that I would grow with. I now work in a place where 75% of the people have been here for 20 years or more, doing the same job. They have lost the ability to learn new things, to keep up with outside forces and become obstacles to getting the job done.

Reply
October 21, 2008

Jay Moonah from Wild Apricot

It's an interesting idea, but I don't know if it's a precise enough analogy. Doesn't the 10,000 hours rule have more to do with mastery of a skill that is somewhat “fixed”? Playing piano, shooting free throws, solving complex equations… those are tasks where you can develop clear “mastery.” Personal relationships and ability to operate effectively within a particular workplace culture strike me as fundamentally different. Sure, it takes time to build relationships and knowledge, but what does “mastery” look like in those realms? It seems to me it's almost impossible to create an objective measure when there are so many other variables in professional situations.

Reply
October 29, 2008

Stephen

For me, after 3 years in a job — 4 years max — I've learnt all I'm going to learn barring a substantial change in responsibilities. 5 years seems too long to me!

Reply
October 30, 2008

Stephen

For me, after 3 years in a job — 4 years max — I've learnt all I'm going to learn barring a substantial change in responsibilities. 5 years seems too long to me!

Reply
October 30, 2008

Stephen

For me, after 3 years in a job — 4 years max — I've learnt all I'm going to learn barring a substantial change in responsibilities. 5 years seems too long to me!

Reply
November 10, 2008

GVRange

Chris, nice idea to develop further. I agree that a longer term work experience, performing a specific & related work tasks is valuable to both employee and employe. Daniel Levitin 10,000 hours estimate, does not support some very real work related sample case studies. Question – How come there are employees in a job for over twenty, thirty years or more and they are paralyzed once their job are terminated.

I believe, sometimes it might even take at least 10,000 meniacs in the background making noise and disagreeing with a motivated, focus and driven employee or group of employees, to either enable success or stop it. Most important the task(s) at hand must be challenging enough, and stake holders consensus of sufficient value added, and funding support to make it a successful, profitable and valuable experience for all involved.
Just a thought!

Reply
November 10, 2008

GVRange

Chris, nice idea to develop further. I agree that a longer term work experience, performing a specific & related work tasks is valuable to both employee and employe. Daniel Levitin 10,000 hours estimate, does not support some very real work related sample case studies. Question – How come there are employees in a job for over twenty, thirty years or more and they are paralyzed once their job are terminated.

I believe, sometimes it might even take at least 10,000 meniacs in the background making noise and disagreeing with a motivated, focus and driven employee or group of employees, to either enable success or stop it. Most important the task(s) at hand must be challenging enough, and stake holders consensus of sufficient value added, and funding support to make it a successful, profitable and valuable experience for all involved.
Just a thought!

Reply
November 10, 2008

GVRange

Chris, nice idea to develop further. I agree that a longer term work experience, performing a specific & related work tasks is valuable to both employee and employe. Daniel Levitin 10,000 hours estimate, does not support some very real work related sample case studies. Question – How come there are employees in a job for over twenty, thirty years or more and they are paralyzed once their job are terminated.

I believe, sometimes it might even take at least 10,000 meniacs in the background making noise and disagreeing with a motivated, focus and driven employee or group of employees, to either enable success or stop it. Most important the task(s) at hand must be challenging enough, and stake holders consensus of sufficient value added, and funding support to make it a successful, profitable and valuable experience for all involved.
Just a thought!

Reply
November 10, 2008

GVRange

Chris, nice idea to develop further. I agree that a longer term work experience, performing a specific & related work tasks is valuable to both employee and employe. Daniel Levitin 10,000 hours estimate, does not support some very real work related sample case studies. Question – How come there are employees in a job for over twenty, thirty years or more and they are paralyzed once their job are terminated.

I believe, sometimes it might even take at least 10,000 meniacs in the background making noise and disagreeing with a motivated, focus and driven employee or group of employees, to either enable success or stop it. Most important the task(s) at hand must be challenging enough, and stake holders consensus of sufficient value added, and funding support to make it a successful, profitable and valuable experience for all involved.
Just a thought!

Reply
November 10, 2008

GVRange

Chris, nice idea to develop further. I agree that a longer term work experience, performing a specific & related work tasks is valuable to both employee and employe. Daniel Levitin 10,000 hours estimate, does not support some very real work related sample case studies. Question – How come there are employees in a job for over twenty, thirty years or more and they are paralyzed once their job are terminated.

I believe, sometimes it might even take at least 10,000 meniacs in the background making noise and disagreeing with a motivated, focus and driven employee or group of employees, to either enable success or stop it. Most important the task(s) at hand must be challenging enough, and stake holders consensus of sufficient value added, and funding support to make it a successful, profitable and valuable experience for all involved.
Just a thought!

Reply