---
title: How Many Years Experience Do You Have?
description: How Many Years Experience Do You Have?
---

[Blog | Brainzooming ](https://www.brainzooming.com/blog)

# [How Many Years Experience Do You Have?](https://www.brainzooming.com/blog/how-many-years-experience-do-you-have)

 Written by [Mike Brown](https://www.brainzooming.com/blog/author/mike-brown) | Oct 21, 2009 11:50:02 AM

<https://www.brainzooming.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/091021-Experience-May-25-2022-01-53-06-77-PM.jpg>Several years ago, an HR professional passed along a piece of wisdom warranting consideration by anyone who works: **Lots of people claim twenty years experience, when what they really have is one year of experience, twenty times over.**

Since that conversation, I've used her statement to gauge my career:

- What **new skills, capabilities, and accomplishments** have I demonstrated in the past year?
- Based on near term potential, **what opportunities exist to gain new experience** in the coming year?
- What can I do specifically this year to increase the likelihood I'll be **developing additional valuable skills**?

**Ask yourself those same questions.** If it looks like you've posted several years of the same experience, **you owe it to yourself to take deliberate steps** and correct the situation. Potential solutions?

- Work to **redesign your job** - formally or informally
- **Step forward** for new and different work assignments
- Figure out [ways you'll **increase your learning**](https://www.brainzooming.com/10-ways-to-learn-with-fewer-training-dollars/986/)
- [**Volunteer** for associations and specific roles](https://www.brainzooming.com/unlearn-2009-business-marketing-association-conference/1007/) to help grow your experience

If you haven't done this self-assessment, do it now and get to work making sure your next twelve months are materially new and different. *- *[*Mike Brown*](http://www.twitter.com/brainzooming)

[View full post](https://www.brainzooming.com/blog/how-many-years-experience-do-you-have)

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