How many jobs have you had?

[msventoux]

Reading all of the job related threads made me wonder how many jobs have you had in your adult life?

I've had 4 so far.  Employer #3 merged with Employer #4; I've been in the same office with most of the same people for well over 10 years.  Sometimes I think I'm too complacent and should look for new challenges elsewhere, but I'm overall happy with the pay, benefits and environment.  Though some days it feels like Groundhog Day and I just want to run away!

Would working at one place for so long be detrimental in a job search?  I worry sometimes that most of my career is with basically one employer.  I would think that if I burned all the bridges here and couldn't get a good reference, the fact that they kept me around for so long would count for something as my employers are well respected in the business community.

[cronewitch]

I don't think I can remember them all.
Maid
Factory Seattle
Factory Detroit
Factory Chicago
Waitress California
Motel manager California
Cleaning medical building CA
Maid California
Managed Apartments Detroit
Managed apartments Troy MI
Managed Apartments Del Mar, CA
Managed Apartments, LA
Waitress Florida
Motel cleaning Florida
Taking care of elderly woman Florida
Factory OHIO
Dishwasher in hospital WA
Managing apartments Seattle
Cook in nursing home Seattle
Cleaning mental hospital Alaska
Bookkeeper Detroit
Bookkeeper Detroit
Bookkeeper Seattle
Bookkeeper Seattle
Bookkeeper Seattle
Software Support Bellevue
CPA
Software Support Redmond
Cash manager Seattle
Bookkeeper Bellevue
Bookkeeper Seattle
That is all I can remember I didn't include jobs before I was 18, I started working at 7.

[quince]

2 simultaneously while in college, 1 during a summer away from college, and the one after I graduated. Stayed at that one through 2 acquisitions, and I think 5 different titles, over the course of 11 years.

Boring.

[Deleted]

I've worked for lots of employers, but I think of it as three jobs: teaching, editing, and retail.  I have worked for this employer for 16 years.

[Tennesseer]

Five.  The last one for thirty years.

[Phoenix84]

1. Carryout at menards
2. Science library front desk
3. College dining hall
4. Library stacks
5. Office Max
6. navy shipyard
7. Air Force
8. My last job
9. My current job.

[chiver78]

Adult life? one, will be here 14 years in July.

HS/college, hmm.... another 8 companies over the years, most in more than one capacity. most I ever held at the same time was 2 PT plus a seasonal/holiday thing at a florist one summer before college.


ETA: now that I've finished reading your OP, I've got the same worry about having all my professional eggs in one basket, so to speak. I'm currently actively looking for another job, and it's rough.

[MJ2.0]

3 since I graduated from college. I've been at my current place for 6.5 years and I plan to quit for school next August.

[MarleyKeezy78]

HS-Burger King
After HS-Waitress/couple places
              Pier One
              Victorias Secret    
              Assistant to a interior decorator    
              Bank Teller
              Gym
              Construction Coordinator for home builder/ Three companies    
              Gym
              SAHM! Whew 

[garion2003]

Starting with after college, I'm on my 5th one. I had the first one for about 6 years, then jumped into a new field at a higher level (I went from being an assistant to having one!) and have stayed in that field ever since.

[Deleted]

Six jobs after graduation, then retired last year. Eight if you count my staying on at two of them after a merger. Longest was 10 years.

[cael]

If you don't count the two months I worked in the annual fund office at college, I've had a grand total of 2 jobs in my adult life - my first high school job I stayed at until after college and advanced several positions in, and my current job I've been at for 7 years.

Actually I have an on-again-off-again contract gig too, but I wouldn't count that.

I did babysit a ton in high school/college, always made good money off it, so I guess that counts as a job too?

[thyme4change]

5 companies - but maybe triple the number of job descriptions / job titles.

That is professional jobs only.  I didn't count either my internship nor my jobs like Chick-fil-a and Baskin Robbins.

[giramomma]

 I wasn't allowed to work really, in HS. School was my "job." Had I been a different person, though I could see working.

However, once I got to college and after my freshman year, I started working multiple jobs. Not any one of them was super time consuming...For example coaching music kids was 8 hours a semester.

However, I've been at the same place for my day job for 15 years. I plan to stay as long as I can. But, I am preparing myself for my marketability should I get laid off.

My night gig: It's hard to even measure. Weddings, pit orchestra, teaching, judging. I teach at two different locations...

I've also been working for 20 years and only got laid off at one job...

[teen persuasion]

School-
Weekend evening babysitting
Regular after school babysitting
College-
Cashier
Dorm desk attendant
Math tutor
SW development
Freshman orientation - testing
Desktop publishing - writer's group newsletter
After college-

SAT tutoring

Childcare
SAHM
Current job - library (sub, then youth services, now IT)

[CarolinaKat]

Adult life: 3 one of which was acquired while I was there. So 4 actually, as the new owners were on a completely different track than the previous owner. 
I've also done multiple jobs at one company.

[cael]

My night gig: It's hard to even measure. Weddings, pit orchestra, teaching, judging. I teach at two different locations...

Musician? I hope to someday be able to play as a part-time gig, once I get more experience and get my skills back up to snuff! Right now I have a standing yearly gig that pays $100. I'm looking for more. (I'm not good enough or organized enough to teach, though)

[Deleted]

waitress

waitress

waitress

receptionist

inventory clerk

mailroom

waitress

taxi driver

waitress

waitress

advertising sales

grassroots organizer 2 positions/crafter on weekends

community organizer

call centre

current company, 10 years, 4 positions

I've never been lazy

[TheHaitian]

Cashier / stocker - > Job 1
Cashier / Stocker -> Job 2
Staff Accountant -> job 3
UPS unloading trucks -> job 4
Night crew Clerk -> job 5
Asst Department manager -> job 6
Department manager -> job 7
Co-manager -> job 8
Store manager -> job 9

Job 5 to job 9 ---> same company

[swamp]

Real jobs as an adult? 4

Asst. DA.

Public Defender

Attorney with my old firm

My own office.

Since I started working? Oy. Too many to count.

[mroped]

Right out of high school- deck hand for a few weeks then drafted.
Two years service(mandatory)
6.5 years as a deck hand/ bossun working for various employers- about 15-16? But basically doing the same job, just different ships, different routes, all over the world
6 months factory-line work in Montreal, Canada
1.5 years break pads factory, Montreal, Canada, preform operator
1.5 years drywall, painting, framing- DC area
2.5 years professional chimney sweeping
the last 14 as a mason- natural stone work mostly

so a total of 7 not counting service(military) or farm work during the earlier years

deminmaine, I need a good tender! Interested?

[The Captain]

W-2 jobs only listed.

HS
Cafeteria
Garden Center
Garden Center

College
Garden Center (summers - others job during the school term)
Cafeteria/Dishroom
Lightening/Electrical Theater
Short Order cook
Computer Lab Operator
Computer Backup Operator
Accounting Intern

After Graduation
I am now at my 9th company.  Two mergers, one sale, one bankruptcy, one really bad fit personality wise, and 4 moves for opportunity.


For me, at least, moving around like I have has actually been an asset.  I'm able to take the best practices of everywhere I've worked and apply them to my new role.

Someone asked previously, and yes - in some cases spending too long at one employer can impede your career.

 

[Deleted]

I have worked for 8 companies in my 'adulthood' and in 17 different job titles.

I don't even want to think about those crappy jobs I had in HS!!!

I was at one employer for a long time and when I left there, I just about doubled my pay. I had NO IDEA how underpaid I was. 

[billisonboard]

I've had more than I want to remember. 

My sister however had a work study job in high school, was hired there full time when she graduated, and recently retired from the same place. She did have internal promotions over the years. No idea how she did it.

[flamingo]

Let's see:

2 jobs in high school (1 fast food, 1 data entry clerk)
2 jobs in college (2 different law firms over the span of 3 years)
1 job in law school (law firm)
4 jobs post-law school graduation (5 if you count the first employer where I was promoted half way through my employment with them)

Every time I've changed jobs it's been for a better position or better salary. I've been done with school for 10 years now. I'm not afraid to move for the right position and every time I've moved it's benefited me monetarily.

[bean29]

Dairy Queen

Advertising Sales

GE Med-Accounting Clerk

Credit Union

 Appraisal Company - Reconciliation Analyst

Accounting - same company

Non-Profit Accounting

Back to AA as a temp

Mortgage Insurance Co- Reporting Specialist I and II (2 jobs)

Same Company - Billing Clerk?

Construction Co- Staff Accounant

Back to Mortgage Company as a Billing Clerk

Real Estate Company Staff Accountant

So 14 with 9 companies

I just edited my Linked in -Account.  In the process it kind of pushes you to make connections...I looked for my Supervisor in my last job at the Mortgage Company - it looks like she maybe got fired b/c on Linked in she does not even list the company in her work history and she was there at least 3 years and was promoted to supervisor.  I asked my DH if he knew her b/c he does volunteer work for the non-profit she is listed as working for now.  Every Non-profit I have ever been involved with was a gossip mill, so he will probably come up with the "dirt". 

There were a lot of qualified people in the division that could have been given the position, but they picked her over many seemingly more qualified people.  I knew there were strong undercurrents that the department was going to be eliminated - I did a lot of work with the systems department and the programmer I was working with told me her department was working on so much programming for my department that the whole department would likely be eliminated.  It took about a year to a year and a half.  I am not sure if they did not want to choose one of the others b/c once they figured out what was going on they were more likely to skip before the company was ready to close the division or what. 

I was just telling my 18 year old - you have to be able to read between the lines and figure out what was not said.  That department was chock full of college students and recent college grads-they took everything they were told and assumed it was the literal truth.  DD basically said she hated that and she wasn't going to do it.  I told her once she had a few jobs her attitude would change.

[The Home 6]

I was just discussing this with older daughter this morning!

I started working on the books at 13, detassling in the summers.

Detassling.
Nursing home kitchen. (summers and high school)
Telemarketer. (high school)
Camp counselor. (summers in college)
Waitress (college)
Walmart (college)
Waitress (college)
Clothing store (college)
Waitress (college)
Walmart (post college) 
Army (post college)

And since I got out, I haven't worked (9 years now). 

[giramomma]

May 5, 2015 8:02:33 GMT -5 cael said:

My night gig: It's hard to even measure. Weddings, pit orchestra, teaching, judging. I teach at two different locations...

Musician? I hope to someday be able to play as a part-time gig, once I get more experience and get my skills back up to snuff! Right now I have a standing yearly gig that pays $100. I'm looking for more. (I'm not good enough or organized enough to teach, though)

Yup. Classically trained with my two underwater basket weaving degrees . But still useful. That's what's made the difference for my family living the way we'd like. And it's where my heart lies.

[Regis]

Five after college.  All in the consulting engineering field.

[movingforward]

4 since graduating college and I doubt my current one will be my last.  I imagine there will probably be 2-3 more since I am still at least 20 yrs from retirement.