"If you were writing your life story, is there anything you wish you could change?"
This question is usually answered with, "Not really, because the choices I've made and the things I've done, have made me who I am today."
As much as I do agree with that answer, there is one thing I may have changed.
As I was growing up, the common thought was to get into a career, establish yourself with a company, invest time in service and reap the rewards of retirement.
We can see today that isn't really the way to go. Statistics show young people entering the workforce today, will work for several companies through out their career.
My sister is a "job hopper". It appears she has the ability to "fall into" great jobs. Looking at her resume, she is all over the board with different type jobs and different experiences. The next one being better than the last.
In reality, this tells me it isn't about luck or falling into opportunities. It's more about going around with a basket gathering a little here and there from each job making yourself more marketable.
I, on the other hand, have stayed at one job doing pretty much the same thing for over 22 years. Although I gain new knowledge as the position keeps up with technology, I haven't expanded in my experiences. My job, like everyone else, is on shaky ground. I have concerns if I need to find a new one, that my longevity in one field no longer represents loyalty and dependability. More so, a deficit, a lack of different experiences.
So Michael, I would change my though of staying with one company, one job.
Wait, there is one more thing I would change.
That would be the time, with the same sister, I was at the Peach Pit in Romeo doing shots of Chambord. I took the dare by the bartender and did a sultry bar top dance from one end of the bar to the other. Then made my sister join me for the next song.
9 comments:
This blog sort of speaks to our whole generation. The issue of staying and job and seeing it through to retirement or job-hopping seem to be the two career paths in life. One is more conservative, and the other obviously more risky. In job-hopping, your job is primarly finding the next job and riding the wave of the economy and trends while saving for your retirment. The opposite is letting the company you work for make all those decisions. The older I get, the more I lean toward the Job Hopper, since I rarely trust others to make the correct decisions on my behalf. However, like you, I have been with the same company for over 15 years.
I guess I am sort of a job hopper but I did stay with one for 20 years. During that time though, I took a lot of different positions which broadened my knowledte. I have just been lucky and somehow I am very marketable. I always did look for something more secure when I changed jobs and now I am at a place that is pretty safe. As for what I would change. Hmmmmm I would never have fooled around with Linda. I still feel bad about that one.
Obviously I need spell check.
Wow, heavy subject....My mind keeps going back to you dancing on top of a bar, though. Wish I'd been there to see that! What fun....
Chambord is known for making people do crazy things.
Let's clarify I was NOT the sister that joined you on the bar top dance... though it sounds fun = )
San: If I recall, you may have a Chambord story of your own =)
I did get new experiences with my company - but then, it was big...and with each buyout, got bigger.
And I would have SWORN it was San. ;-)
After Thanksgiving, I was thinking your response might be way juicer, but dancing on bar tops after shots of Chambord works too :)
One thing I've learned in the job world no one is indispensable, no matter what field. Loyalty may do well with a mom n pop family shop but not in the corporate America of today, sad tho that it is that way. Have a friend who was recently let go from her job (in the medical field at a hospital) after just shy of 30 yrs. working there, she is now in search of another job, and could no doubt use some of that Chambord too....
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