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Thinking about transitions. |
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Turkey Droppings |
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It’s harder than it looks. Don’t try this on your own. Professional transitioner on a closed course. |
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The Gold Watch |
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From time to time, when I talk to "youngsters", I advise that the "job paradigm" has changed at least twice in my lifetime. And, they need to understand that it will again. You can’t drive looking in the rear view window. But those, that don’t understand history, repeat it.
In Prehistoric times, we were all hunter / gatherers. Then, some one discovered farming. And, along around the Fourth Century, some one discovered the division of labor. Then, I entered the workforce.
THE GOLD WATCH ERA
When I was growing up, the ethic was you went to a paternalistic company, gave them 45 years of loyal services, and were rewarded with a pension and social security. My mom did 48. An uncle 42. I have many many examples of this. I am sure you have your own. It was a great time to be an employee.
THE YOU AND THE MAN PRETEND TO BE LOYAL TO EACH OTHER ERA
Then around the mid 1980's, the paradigm shifted. The rules changed. Swiftly and silently. The paternalistic employer / loyal employee "pair of dimes" was abrogated. (I am told the trend started in the 60's in the financial industries with the stock market collapse and old "customer's men" -- the "financial consultants" of their era were fired. Then in the Seventies, the aerospace companies, realizing that new college graduates were cheaper than "old" ones, began firing people just before they would get their pensions. Thes is where the ERISA legislation comes from. I learned about it when I was learning to be an EE. That ushered in the era of the "five year" employee. The paradigm was work at a place for half a decade, vest your pension, and move on. (I have five pensions; three that pay off at 65.)
ENTREPRENURIAL & INTRAPRENUREAL ERA
Recently, I place the next paradigm shift in the late Nineties, businesses to save money eliminated the defined benefit pensions. They also eliminated, cut back, or increased the copay for retiree medical benefits. Some declare bankruptcy to eliminate the burden of retiree costs and shift it to the Federal Government Pension Guarantee (Fund, Board, or Agency). So the new rule is that you accumulate your own pension in the form of saving in your 401k. Only in the government, do you find the gold plated defined benefit pension with full retiree medical benefits. Taxpayers have an unlimited supply of money. So, the entrepreneur or intraprenuer age was launched. Equity participation if you could get it. Go into you own business if you were out of work. Be a consultant and peddle your expertise. So, the consultant mindset emerges. An employee is a consultant with a restricted choice of where they will work today. Don't trust the MAN with your "career", It's not an adventure; it's just a job. Loyalty belongs to your discipline (i.e., engineering; programming; law; medicine) not to any one employer. Think Union or Guild. After all what is a well networked manager these days. There's no hiring hall anymore; but your network can be a virtual one.
THE THREE PART HARMONY ERA I lecture, advise, and comiserate that in today's marketplace, you must have the mind of a CFO with both a blue and white collar skill set. A "young person" today has to enter the marketplace with a three prong strategy: ONE The CFO in you has to ruthlessly say "I am only assured of the last paycheck that I cashed!". Keep your emergency funds topped off. In a future message, I'll share my view of how you compute how big a fund you'll need. But, be advised it's a lot bigger than you think. It's a function of your particular skill, your industry, and your age. For example, were I to be tossed on my ear, I figure that my number is 40. Forty months of seeking to replace the job I have.) Constantly evaluate your financial picture. Think the movie "Iron Eagle", with Lou Gosset telling you, "keep your eyes on your stores (money) when you run out that's it". I suggest on the First Sunday of each month you have a CFO meeting, before watching the TV sports event of the day (e.g., football, basketball, golf), with your significant other and review your financial picture. Ask the question "what happens if I am fired on Monday". Then skip the TV and get some exercise. Or work on your job search. Everyone should always be seeking. If employed, gently. If unemployed, aggressively. Or, use the time to learn something, anything! What's your CFO telling you? TWO AND, you need a blue-collar skill. Mine is consulting. I run multiple consulting disciplines on the side. In my spare time, when I am not here. I help people. That's all consulting is. When I am employed, I do it for free. (Employers are SO strictly silly about this!) When I am unemployed, I charge. I know a programmer who is a plumber. I know a brokerage methods analyst who does wood refinishing. I know a Medical Doctor (no joke) who runs a trading desk! And, my best example, a state school principal who has an active ebay business and a string stores to ebay for retail customers! (That's a triple play. I want to be him when I grow up. Nah I don't; he's got an serious chronic illness. But he's worried about providing for his family.) What's your blue collar skill? THREE AND you need your white collar skill. I'm an IT executive during the day. But, in reality, I am a problem solver. I get people to do what they say they are going to do. In Information Technology. In very complicated technology architectures. With lots of stuff going on at the same time. For which they pay me a lot of money. But I could be unemployed tomorrow if they figure it can be done in India, China, or the former Soviet union. What's your white collar skill?
CONCLUSION
So what does this mean to you. The seeker who is out, low on funds, no blue collar skill to fall back on in hard times, and no job. You are what I call the "deer in the headlights"!
The universe, the Intelligent Designer, or the Karmic Wheel is giving you a chance to learn a lesson. (There a teaching that says "lessons are repeated until the student learns". So listen up, lest you have a remedial session scheduled for you.) You will learn this lesson— sooner or later. How painful you make it is completely up to you. No one can travel the road for you, but you will find many people willing to help you find the way.
So get to "work"! Your work, silly, not anyone else's.
—30—
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