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I would love to work at the same company until I retire. The problem is that to actually make more money and gain skills you MUST, as a software engineer, hop jobs every 2-3 years. I wish it weren't so, but that's just how it is right now. Add to it the fact that most companies don't care to actually train or retain their talent, and you've just got more incentive to hop.

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You are right that it takes luck or very careful strategy to be able to learn multiple fields within programming inside one single company. In my current place, I consider myself very lucky that I got the opportunity to do multiple languages (starting off as TS, to move into C# and backend), and also had the chance to do a (p)React-based ui redesign as well, so that ticks three boxes without having to move around.

But lets not forget that many companies usually do change up web stacks as well, so there might be opportunities every now and then too.

There are plenty of level 9-10's at amazon who didn't move every 2 years. Pay is around $600 - $900K? Someone can correct.

I'm not sure if this is enough for the job hoppers but retention is not terrible (despite the Amazon stories that no one lasts longer than a week and cries at their desk every day).

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