How do you view candidates who’ve been “stuck” at mid-level for 4–5 years despite solid performance reviews.. does that read as loyalty or lack of ambition? I plan to look for a new job in 2026, but tbh, it's mainly because I'm afraid I'm going to come off as complacent for not shifting environments. Am I thinking in the right direction?

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Totally valid question—especially in today’s climate. Longevity can signal loyalty, reliability, and a deep well of institutional knowledge. If the lack of upward movement wasn’t due to performance, I’d look at whether the company culture allowed for growth or if there were structural ceilings. You’re not “stuck”—you’ve been building depth. Framing that well in your job search will be key.

Loyalty, the number one blunder to a thriving career
You think youre doing your employer a solid, but when push comes to shove, tenure and high salary are the first to go.

It is a little counter-intuitive that the ones with tenure are the first to go, wouldn't it mean that they have the most historical knowledge?

Titles are secondary, working 4-5 years in a role you have been 100% exposed to opportunities to show your leadership or contribute meaningfully to a project at the senior level, if not it means that there have been issues somewhere that you need to justify, I would never write mid-level in my resume. I would just write software engineer and describe the impact that my role had, underlying where my contribution took place. Make the best of what you have at hand, it is not much about the how long but what impact you had! You got this :)

It usually reads more as context than character. What matters is the story you tell. If you frame it around deepening impact, mastering skills, or taking on new responsibilities, it shows thoughtful growth, not complacency. Changing environments isn’t the only way to signal ambition.

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