The High Price of Job Security
January 10, 2007
“This is so convoluted, no one is ever going to be able to figure it out!” said one cube dweller to another. The other smiled and said, “I know, job security baby!”
I’ve worked in my current software job for 7 years and suppose I could be considered a “key” employee for our product. I know how most of the system works, who to call when something breaks, and where a lot of the bodies are buried.
Does this scenario sound familiar to you? Sure it’s good for job security
BUT
You’re tired of what you do.
You don’t look forward to going to work.
The grass is greener everywhere else.
YET
You go every day because the job is secure.
You spent too much on your house & car and need the money.
What’s the Cost?
Stress
When you’ve been around for a while the same problems keep popping up. Working on the same issues time and again is frustrating. It is stressful, hard on your body and your psyche.
Knowledge Depreciation
If you’ve been doing the same thing for 5 years chances are your industry is moving on without you. You may now be a commodity in a cash cow product instead of an innovator in a Skunk Works. Your “skills that pay the bills” may no longer fetch the same salary in the market.
Responsibility
When you’ve been in the same place for a long time you often accrue more responsibility whether it’s through promotion or by default through attrition. You’re the one they call when something breaks in the middle of the night or a deadline has to be met by tomorrow. Responsibility = less sleep.
Family Time
While you’re spending hours stressing and being responsible at work, you’re not spending time with your family. News flash, your wife and kids miss you!
Money isn’t Everything
In an effort to build our net worth, job security is a major contributing factor. However, in our quest to enjoy life, job security can be a major pain in the butt! I try to remember some words of advice from an co-worker of mine that’s been around the block a few times, “Work to Live, don’t Live to Work”! How do you balance performing at your job with enjoying life?
All posts by Ben Edwards
I’d add these:
– Work hard for yourself, not for somebody else. Yeah, do the job, but don’t ever stress out about it. Your inbox will always be full.
– Make sure you end up with 10 years of experience. Not 1 year repeated 10 times!
I really feel bad for corporate people that get caught up in a “stressful” job. I’ve been in them before but never got stressed out. Truthfully, I just didn’t care. It wasn’t worth it. But I always had the best attitude.
“Work the Weekend?”, I’d reply, ” I’d love to but I’m going out town (HEHEHE). You should have asked last weekend”.
If they fired me, I’d get another job. But that never did happen.
– Bryan
http://www.BryanCFleming.com
Amen Brother, the problem is if you are working at a larger company you build up things like vacation, pension and a nice big pay packet, and you are afraid to leave it, yet the job is killing you. The hardest thing for anyone is change, and job change is almost like a divorce for turmoil, never an easy task, that is for sure!
–C8j