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Microsoft is hiring an account executive and I’m really interested in the role. I have B2B sales experience in a different industry, but my skills include lead generation, prospecting, account management, negotiating, etc (all within the C Suite and other decision makers).
Would appreciate knowing if this is something I have a shot at with no tech sales experience and what I could expect for promotional opportunities and compensation.
Thanks for the help!
Coach
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I’m not a recruiter, but I have zero loyalty to a company. They would drop me in an instant if it became advantageous for them. In my 30s, the time value of money is critical because these are my last few years to make investments that will pay off in time.
Staying put for more than 3 years is career limiting.
2 to 3 yeara and hop
I think it depends on who you are talking to. I have been accused of job hopping by older partners and people 40 and below say nothing about that. Most people are leaving for better opportunities after 2-3 years so just do what is best for you and don't worry about what others think. I have no loyalty anymore and do what is best for me and my family. When I have been loyal in the past it was not reciprocated. An employer will trash you dispose of you the minute it suits them.
While I’m not an attorney, this issue arguably affects legal support professionals even more.
Legal support staff understand loyalty matters while simultaneously knowing that the fastest way to meaningfully increase compensation is often to leave. Those two ideas don’t always coexist well. Most paralegals and legal assistants aren’t receiving the kinds of annual raises that keep pace with market value, yet they can often achieve significant salary increases by moving firms.
Another challenge is the increasing disconnect between job titles, qualifications, and actual responsibilities. Many legal support professionals are asked to bring paralegal education, certifications, and substantive litigation experience to roles that are ultimately far more administrative than advertised. At the same time, the distinction between legal assistant and paralegal responsibilities is often blurred, making it difficult to understand how experience, education, and specialized skills translate into compensation, advancement, and hiring decisions.
There’s a reason the saying “a good paralegal is worth their weight in gold” has endured for so long. Experienced legal support professionals are often the institutional knowledge that keeps matters moving, deadlines met, clients informed, and attorneys effective (and sane).
Legal support is also facing a generational transition. Many highly skilled legal assistants and paralegals are approaching retirement, while firms increasingly seek candidates with formal education, certifications, and substantive experience earlier in their careers. Yet many newer professionals struggle to find opportunities to develop those skills or progress into mid-level positions internally because roles often become more administrative than substantive over time, whether intentional or not. This can make it difficult to build the experience firms later seek when hiring for more advanced positions.
It’s also worth considering whether legal support professionals are given the same opportunities to grow into their roles that attorneys often receive. New associates are generally expected to learn, develop judgment, and build expertise over time. Legal support staff, by contrast, are frequently expected to arrive with years of experience already in hand because firms need someone who can quickly get up to speed and contribute immediately. If firms want experienced mid-level and senior support professionals in the future, they must be willing to invest in developing them today.
Loyalty matters, but it has to be a two-way street. If firms want longer tenure from the people they heavily rely on, they need to provide not only competitive compensation, but also clear expectations, transparency about roles, meaningful opportunities for substantive growth, and a compensation structure that rewards people for staying. Otherwise, it shouldn’t be surprising when talented legal support professionals—or talented associates—pursue opportunities elsewhere.
I’ve never stayed at a company for more than 2 years
I think it depends on whether you are at a firm or in-house. Also, how long you have practiced.
Junior lawyers (less than 6 years) can usually hop around with little-to-no repercussions IMO. Once you hit 7+ years, i think moving within 2 yrs several times may raise eyebrows and concern. Overall, for 7+ years exp, I think a 3 yr minimum before leaving is the sweet spot, with each additional 6mo adding to your benefit
I think more and more these days we’ve been living for a long time in Milton Friedman and Ronald Reagan’s America. I’m not sure how well it’s worked
Loyalty to the company has been gone for years. Many companies don't offer new hires a pension, and that's when the loyalty to a company started changing.
Many employees, especially those new to the workforce, will change jobs every 2-4 years to gain different experiences and for bigger bumps in pay.
Many people see bigger bumps in pay and more promotion by changing companies
Once you hit the more senior and management level roles you will tend to see less changes.