Saying the last several years have been turbulent is an understatement. People ask me every day if this is the right time to change jobs. The answer is: it depends.

If you are well educated, working in a high demand profession like engineering, a strong performer, willing to work onsite, you likely have very little to worry about. The fact is, we simply do not have enough tech talent in the US.

Many, if not most, of our clients are hybrid or onsite. We see this trending to 4 days a week in office next year. If that doesn’t work for you, stick with the job you have.

It may seem contrarian, but a very well-funded startup, with committed backers and a great business model or product line, can be a great place to weather economic headwinds.

Public companies have to discuss material issues. That sometimes feels like every speed bump, supply chain glitch, capacity constraint, attrition, face a call by Wall Street to cut costs and headcount. Since CEOs are measure on the bottom line, cutting expenses is always on the table.

A private company with a couple of years of runway, on the other hand, can ride similar rough waters literally in private. A pre-revenue CEO isn’t measured on the bottom line, and while expense control is important, getting to market is more so. Landing talent, building the team, shipping the product trumps everything.

I recall a conversation with my GM long ago, ‘Yes, I’m a few million dollars over budget, but we shipped on time”. He smiled.

There’s also a false sense of security big companies cultivate with the campus, cafeteria, buses and other perks. We all know, but often forget, that doesn’t prevent strategy changes, shuttering entire divisions, product lines, geographies.

The truth is, no job is 100% secure.

If presented with an opportunity to land a salary bump or the potential for wealth creation through stock options, I would think about what you really have to lose.

You probably are far more marketable than you think. Confident people make bold choices, that over the long term, pay off.