[cs02rm0]

I was advised to move every two years in software, without knowing if it would be good advice. As it happens I roughly did that for a while, until I went contracting when curiously I stuck around for longer, well, not that curiously - I can be picky about roles and conditions now and doubling my income is no longer likely.

For the first few moves I doubled my salary. That helps a lot.

You grow a network too, you see things from different perspectives, get variety, learn new tools. A change is as good as a rest. And when all is said and done, if it doesn't make you happy, just take the extra experience and increased salary and go back.

But look around you, how many people who left the company ever came back?

IME the advice was good because companies tend to value you as little more than who they hired, the jobs market values you for who you are now, which changes quickly early in your career.

Good luck either way.