Seems as though many of the people I have known at my beloved Microsoft have changed careers lately. Some have left, others have moved around inside the company. I was just at a BBQ for a friend who is moving to Paris for a very cool new management gig. Looking around it was pretty clear that most of the folks around me (we were mostly Microsofties) would not be in same job 2 years from now.
In my 6 years at the company, I have had 3 different jobs, each with different titles, offices and peer groups. Granted, they have all been related by some common thread (business planning led me to product planning which led to product marketing). At Microsoft, 2 years seems to be the average tenure for someone in a given role. This is especially true amongst business-related roles. Ultimately, I think this cross-pollination is a help to the company. It keeps the “blood” moving throughout the business and helps to bring fresh perspective to lingering problems.
While having an entire management team leave your group at the same time is absolutely aweful (something I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing); a modest level of churn is definitely a good thing….especially if it means having to look at the Eiffel Tower every day from your office window!
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