You’ve just hit the five-year anniversary mark at your job. Congrats!

You’ve reached an important milestone at work. And you probably earned a promotion and even racked up several meaningful achievements. So, there’s no point in checking the “want ads” at this point, since everything is going great at work … right?

Well, not quite. While you may be content at your organization now, your current job will not likely be your last. And the most unsettling part of this is that many departures from companies are sudden, coming without warning signs.

Just how long does the average person stay with a job? Let’s ask the Bureau of Labor Statistics:

A 2022 survey conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor’s ChiefEvaluation Office revealed that the “median number of years that wage and salary workers had been with their current employer was 4.1 years.” This figure, by the way, remained constant with the findings from a similar study two years earlier. For many workers, by the time you start to settle in, it’s time to begin the job-search process again.

The job market is experiencing unprecedented turbulence. Betweenmassive layoffs, “Quiet Quitting,” and the growing threat of AI replacing workers, people are leaving jobs and being fired in droves. Even if you are happy with your job presently, the smart move is to keep an eye out for new opportunities.

It is important to recognize your role as a “passive candidate” –someone who is not actively looking for another job, but who is always prepared for new opportunities.