A working paper from the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) reveals that job-hopping is becoming the preferred route for aspiring CEOs, replacing the traditional model of loyalty to a single company. The research, which examined over 50,000 U.S. CEOs, found that future CEOs are now spending about 10 more years at various companies before securing their top positions. This shift indicates that today's executives are building more diverse careers, acquiring a broader skill set across different sectors before taking on the CEO role. Additionally, the average age of newly appointed CEOs has risen from 47 years in 2000 to 55 years in 2023, as companies increasingly favor experienced leaders who can offer strategic flexibility. The trend towards job-hopping reflects broader changes in workforce behavior, with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics noting that the average job tenure for American workers has fallen to 3.9 years, the shortest since 2002. This suggests that younger generations are not uniquely disloyal but are following a similar pattern to previous generations early in their careers.