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My boss casually mentioned he'd rather hire a 'hungry' junior than a 'comfortable' senior, and it's been bugging me for a week.
He said it during a team lunch in Chicago, and now I'm questioning if staying loyal to one company for 5 years is actually hurting my market value.
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jana1191mo ago
Ever been told you're too comfortable right before they give you more work? That happened to me. I started quietly updating my resume and talking to a few recruiters, just to see. Getting a couple of outside offers showed my real value fast and changed how they talked to me. Sometimes you have to prove your hunger by showing you can walk away.
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emma_clark1mo ago
What does hungry even mean, lower pay? I've seen juniors burn out fast trying to prove that hunger. Your five years of knowing how everything actually works is way more valuable than someone just starting out. A good boss should want to keep that experience, not make you feel bad for having it. Loyalty shows you can stick with hard problems, that's a skill too. Honestly, his comment says more about his management style than your worth.
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josephbutler1mo ago
Five years at one company means you know where all the skeletons are buried. That's huge. Maybe the boss just used a bad word and meant he wants people who are still excited. But calling someone not hungry feels like a cheap shot. It's not that deep unless he starts cutting your hours or something.
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