The Job Security Myth

I was raised in a Southern, blue-collar family. “Git r’ done, boy!” and “Does a bear shit in the woods?” were some of the typical phrases heard on a daily basis. I received a rifle for my 10th birthday. Like Bubba in Forrest Gump listing every shrimp dish, my Dad has a different boat for every type of boating activity you could possibly imagine: a flats boat, a deep sea boat, a bass boat, a ski boat, a john boat, a paddle boat, a canoe, a jet ski, etc. And now they’re contemplating the purchase of a pontoon boat.

My Dad worked hard to provide us with every type of boat known to man. In fact, he has worked extremely hard for everything. He passed down this work ethic to my brother and me. We were taught that hard work, humility, respect, a steady job, and perseverance pay off. While this still holds true in much of the blue-collar community, I’ve found it’s quite different in the white-collar world. For a 26-year-old, I’ve worked more types of jobs than you can shake a stick at (yet another Southern phrase!). I have built roads, set up banquets, and sold guns. I have made subs, and worked at various retail giants. I have built simulators for the military, created award-winning websites, and animated a Nickelodeon cartoon series.

In my experience, the majority of large companies I have worked for do not reward hard work other than the occasional pat on the back. In fact, hard work usually keeps you exactly where you are. In many cases, the people that cannot perform the job they were hired to do are actually moved to higher positions. They’re paid more to do less. Most of the people I have witnessed climbing the corporate ladder are the politicians of the white-collar world: ass-kissers and back-stabbers. The few that have truly earned it could lose their job at any moment to the recent graduate willing to work double the time for half the pay. It’s a you-scratch-my-back-I’ll-scratch-yours world. Job security is a myth.

Though there are a few exceptions, most large corporations don’t care about you. If they claim to, it’s probably because it makes them look good. The people on top care about their money. It’s probably not going to hurt the company for you to leave, and if it does they’ll offer you a better position and a raise as you’re walking towards the door. Leaving a job has never turned into a bad situation for me or for anyone I’ve known. Usually it turns into a much better situation or leads to a great life-changing event.

I’ve been told many times that it doesn’t look good on the resume to have worked for 6 companies in the past 3 years. That’s a myth. It hasn’t kept me from getting a seventh job. In fact, I believe working as many jobs as possible in a short amount of time expands your skills and knowledge much more than working at the same job for a long period of time. Sure, they may ask you why you change jobs so frequently during the interview, but if you’re a dedicated, skilled, and talented worker it doesn’t matter that much. They’re making a lot of money off of you even if it’s only for a short time.

Let’s face it – most of us don’t like our jobs. So, why don’t most people do something about it? I have a theory that many people are afraid to quit their job for a few reasons. The uncomfortable situation of telling the company you’re quitting; some crazy belief that you’re letting the company down; or the fear of living without a steady paycheck for a few weeks. This can all easily be overcome.

The lessons I learned from my Dad have not been a waste. I’ve just learned to apply them differently to the white-collar world. Don’t work hard for your employer, work hard for yourself. Learn all you can, build a strong portfolio, and hone your skills and talents.