Faith has a pretty cool post up regarding her experiences getting a new job. At the end of her post, she says this:
The corporate world sucks guys, stay away from it if you can. Companies are only out for themselves. There’s no loyalty, you’re replaceable, and they let you know it loud and clear.
Here's what I'm finding interesting. I've known Faith for years. We dated in high school, and I've been lucky enough to be able to keep a friendship with her. Of all of my friends, she's easily the one with whom I relate most closely on a professional level. And we are both learning the same stuff about working in corporate society, we're learning in different ways.
Something we've talked about in the past is that the modern workplace works in a way that does not value employee loyalty. Employees constantly feel underpaid, overworked, and undervalued. Raises are hard to come by, and it's harder still to get genuine respect from managers who are given more and more to deal with in less time. The end result is that since employees don't feel like their work is valued or appreciated, they go somewhere else and make more money. Eventually the cycle either repeats itself, or other circumstances force that person to leave the new position, and it's not uncommon for the person to wind up back at the original company, doing the same job for quite a bit more pay.
And that's how our generation has been labeled a generation of mercenaries. While our parents and grandparents might start at a company and work there for twenty or thirty years, it's not uncommon for us to change jobs as often as every 18 months. Actually, 18 months was the average length that an IT contractor would stay on a contract just two years ago. While this used to be looked at as a sign that a person couldn't keep a job, it's not just "one of those things," and it's hardly given a second thought.
Another factor is training. Or, I guess it might be said that another factor is a lack of training. Employees are constantly looking for more training to make them more valuable to their company and to other companies. But employers are hesitant to give training because they think, "Well, what if we train Jane? She'll be awesome! Then, some other company will give her more money to leave!" It's been said before and it'll be said again. Employees need to be qualified. And they need to be compensated accordingly. If either of these criteria aren't met, there's gonna be turnover. Take that, bosses!
Add to this that companies are cutting benefits to save costs, and that cost of living has gone up dramatically over the past 10 years, and you've got a picture of how tough it's getting to be to get started and on your feet in this age. I don't know if it's bad; you have to know you love what you're doing to be successful, now; but it's very different than it was even just 15 years ago.
