Interview Questioned My Short Tenures: Should Career Growth Outweigh Tenure?

Good day, Naijaworlders! I had a job interview today and the senior HR manager asked why I hadn’t stayed longer at past roles. I spent two years at my first company, one year at my second, and nine months in my current position—all directly relevant and exceeding the one- to two-year requirement. The concern was that the company wants someone likely to stay many years. While I understand, in Nigeria many professionals move for better pay, benefits, responsibilities, or skill development. Such changes often reflect ambition, not lack of commitment. I think tenure matters, but so do results, skills, and value created. Impact shouldn’t be measured only by time served, but also by contributions made. For HR professionals in Nigeria, how much weight should length of service carry versus career progression and proven performance?

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