I've never started anywhere with an intention to be a "lifer" but I have had a fairly linear jup from early short stints, to a 4 year run at VA Linux Systems, later a 6 year run at an "anti-piracy" company that was farcical in many ways but paid the bills and got e through my undergrad nd the 2008 maelstrom, and eventually 10 years at a CRM company that was maybe a year or two longer than needed but otherwise a great run.
In all of those scenarios I "planned" for 1-2 years to see what I could accomplish and if I wanted to stick around.
This industry doesn't tend to promote the idea of long form employment; hell, it almost finds it questionable (which I find stupid. If you are good and satisfied and produce good work, there is no need to find that suspect; not everyone has to be motivated the same way, seek the same incentives for the same path).
In all of those scenarios I "planned" for 1-2 years to see what I could accomplish and if I wanted to stick around.
This industry doesn't tend to promote the idea of long form employment; hell, it almost finds it questionable (which I find stupid. If you are good and satisfied and produce good work, there is no need to find that suspect; not everyone has to be motivated the same way, seek the same incentives for the same path).