Should you stay or should you go? What the “great stay” means for your career.

By Jasmine Escalera, PhD, Career Expert, MyPerfectResume

In 2026, a new workplace phenomenon is emerging: The Great Stay.

Instead of job-hopping in search of better pay, flexibility, or fulfillment, many workers are choosing to stay put. Even if they’re unhappy, burnt out, or in a role that no longer aligns with their career aspirations. Why? Because the job market feels uncertain, layoffs feel imminent, and job security has become nonnegotiable. According to MyPerfectResume’s The Great Stay 2026 report, 32% of employees say they’re worried about losing their job this year. That fear is driving the workforce to prioritize career preservation over rocking the boat, even when staying comes with real tradeoffs.

The Great Stay isn’t about loyalty or long-term commitment. It’s about safety often over real career growth. And while staying can absolutely be the right move in some cases, it’s important to understand the impact of staying too long for the wrong reasons.

Impact #1: Burnout Doesn’t Go Away, It Just Gets Worse

One of the biggest risks of The Great Stay is compounding burnout. According to MyPerfectResume’s Burnout Nation report, 63% of workers feel burnout several times a week, and 55% rate their burnout as moderate to severe. Burnout doesn’t just impact how you feel, it also affects how you perform, and how willing you are to take on new opportunities. When employees stay in roles that drain them, they often shift into preservation mode, doing only what is required but no more. This has nothing to do with ambition but sheer exhaustion. And for young professionals, this is especially dangerous. 

Your early career years are pivotal to your growth, and burnout at this stage can limit skill-building, confidence, and momentum before your career really has a chance to take off. So if you’re in a role that’s causing burnout, staying will sadly only make the situation worse over the long term.

Impact #2: Stagnant Pay Can Cost You Over Time

Another hidden cost of staying too long is the impact on your financial gains. Only 23% of workers say they’re satisfied with their current pay, and 41% haven’t received a meaningful raise in the past two years. Staying in a role without pay growth just increases that gap and can delay important life goals like paying down student loans, building savings, moving out, or investing in your future.

For early-career professionals, raises and role changes often drive the biggest jumps in compensation. When the opportunities to increase your salary don’t come around, it can start to feel like the “safe” decision you’re making today costs you tens of thousands of dollars over the long term.

Impact #3: Career Growth Can Slow Way Down

Even early in your career, mobility matters. Gaining new skills, experiences, and focusing on visibility are the building blocks of long-term success. Yet 36% of workers say they feel detached at work due to a lack of career growth. Staying in a role that no longer challenges you, or doesn’t offer a clear path forward, can limit how competitive you are in the future job market. So if your role isn’t helping you move closer to where you want to be in three to five years, staying indefinitely can diminish your options.

So… Should You Stay or Should You Go?

The answer isn’t one-size-fits-all. Staying can be the right choice if your needs are being met including fair pay, a manageable workload, learning opportunities, and a realistic path forward. Sometimes stability allows you to build skills, recover from burnout, or prepare for your next move intentionally.

But staying should be a strategy, not a fear response. To ensure you are making the right choice, take a step back and ask yourself:

• Is this role helping me grow professionally?
• Am I gaining skills that will matter in my next role?
• Does this job support my financial and personal goals?
• Can I realistically see progress here in the next 1–3 years?

If the answer is no, that doesn’t mean you need to quit tomorrow. But it does mean it’s time to build an exit strategy.

Even If You Stay, Always Keep Your Options Open

One of the most powerful things you can do, whether you plan to stay or leave, is invest in your network. According to MyPerfectResume, 54% of workers are hired through a connection. Networking isn’t just about finding a job, it can also provide perspective, much needed advice, or visibility. Conversations with people in your field can help you understand what’s possible, and when it might be time to move on from your current role.

Networking also doesn’t have to be an added chore. You can start small by reconnecting with former classmates or coworkers, attending industry events or virtual panels, or having informational conversations with new contacts. Focusing on networking means you aren’t just jumping into a job search, but are really planning for any great opportunity to come your way. 

The Bottom Line

Whether this is your first job or your fifth, always remember that you have a choice on the direction your career takes. The Great Stay may define the current moment, but it doesn’t have to define your career. If you choose to stay in your role for job security you aren’t doing anything wrong. And if you decide to kickstart your exit strategy to find something new then you aren’t being reckless. What matters is knowing why you’re choosing either path and making sure fear isn’t the only thing making the decision for you.