The Hidden Cost Of Company Loyalty

[@ALifeAfterLayoff]

Join the 15,000 career-minded job seekers who've signed up to learn how to reclaim the power in their career with my FREE weekly newsletter: alifeafterlayoff.ck.page/90f448df25

[@nicholausbuthmann1421]

Do you get much Pushback, Criticism, or outright trolling from Senior/Middle Management & HR Executives for your laying their Bad Attitudes Bare for everyone to see and understand ?

[@ALifeAfterLayoff]

@@nicholausbuthmann1421Not really - I get more messages of support than anything. I get the occasional business owner trolling me, but that's to be expected. I'm not anti-company. I am here to empower employees to reclaim their control.

[@PlatinumBuckGorilla]

No such thing as family at work. They will preach it, pretend it, until it’s time for you to see the door. Do your job and go home to your real family at home.

[@Steve-mk6rq]

It's just management B.S. artistry.

[@Al-rn5qy]

👏👏👏❤❤

[@annie-sc]

Correct 💯💯💯

[@mateaukalua4426]

I don't have a family at home and no pet 😂.

[@maryshellsmith6627]

Yes. I wasted close to ten years at one company. It’s all bullsh*t.

[@lifesIronyboard]

As I reach my later years and come towards the end of my career, I have learned one thing: The purpose of a career is the reach a point where one no longer needs a career. If I could say one thing to younger me it would be, "No matter what you do for a living, no matter how well you are compensated, live the least expensive life you can and avoid debt. Try to reach a point where your employer doesn't have the power to wreck your financial situation and future. Your life will be so much happier and less stressful."

[@aliannarodriguez1581]

Yes, this! Although I would add that building an emergency fund initially, and then a lay-off cushion of 6 months or more of living expenses, will give you tremendous peace of mind while in the workforce. That translates into a confidence that gives you more leverage with your employer, and more courage to leave if necessary. Calm and firm people are more likely to get what they want.

[@lifesIronyboard]

@@aliannarodriguez1581 Absolutely and good advice. As an employee, you need to have options.

[@Hardworking_Trucker]

Took me to my mid 30s to get it, glad I did

[@goshawk4340]

Avoid expensive cars payments.

[@Johnny-Utah-91]

Look up the term F-U money. When you have enough of it you can act like Peter from Office Space

[@ognyc71]

Escorting someone out of the office is so demeaning. That's the gratitude.

[@Jupiterxice]

Exactly like you are tainted with lesser dignity

[@aliannarodriguez1581]

Was shocked the first time someone told me their company did that to them.

[@mandisaw]

It's been the standard in corporate IT for well over a decade, and having Security there is best-practice according to workplace-violence prevention protocol. Angry people can do a lot of damage in a very short amount of time otherwise.

[@enrique6335]

Well, you also never know how someone will react

[@Info-God]

Yup. Got escorted in public space. Karma watches. Wait!

[@jesmith9975]

I started working for large firms 50 years ago, and loyalty was the norm. As I watched firms layoffs it became clear that loyalty is a one-way street. I have coached my four sons that on payday, the ledger is equal, the company doesn't owe you anything, and since you got paid, you can assume you don't owe the company anything. They have each moved on before being moved. I changed every time a better offer was available. Once that didn't pay off, the pay was off the graph, but the company was horrible. All in all, the job hopping has served me well.

[@patty109109]

"I have coached my four sons that on payday, the ledger is equal, the company doesn't owe you anything" This is superbly worded. It really does come down to that. Getting laid off early in my career instilled in my lifelong recognition that it can happen to anybody, at any time. My boss could call me this afternoon and say thanks but we're done with you. Needing and relying on one employer keeps people in a secondary position of leverage, and keeps them in jobs they hate and/or will do unethical things to keep.

[@jocelync.8888]

Like#111 for your comment. Thank you! 🙌🙏🙌🙏🧿

[@dieglhix]

My negotiable number was 50% and above because of my years of work (severance law in case of termination) and because I lived literally 6 minutes walk from job. Got laid off, got paid nicely. Going for small 10% increments seemed bad for me, I hope I can score something big now but there are too many laid off people competing right now.

[@gudgurl]

@@patty109109 "and/or will do unethical things to keep."...like, almost 100% of workers...all around the world pretty much on every field. Selling their souls.

[@Longlostpuss]

You won't get away with job hopping forever though and when there is a hard market like a recession, you will be at the bottom of the list, as they'll have the perfect excuse to strike you off the shortlist and look for cheaper more reliable candidates.

[@gdwnet]

Something I advise everyone to do at least once every two years - Go out there and get a job interview with a different company for the job you're currently doing or the next job level up, the questions they ask, the skills they are looking for can be good lessons for you to find out what skills you might be lacking. It also keeps you fresh with interview techniques so when layoffs come round you're ready. Also, you might get a far better offer. So what do yo have to lose?

[@TMeyer-ge5pj]

My thoughts exactly. Why not do this?

[@starofalltime]

I appreciate this advice. I will pass this on to anyone that will listen!

[@billsalcido7878]

You just request a day off for an interview?

[@gdwnet]

@@billsalcido7878 Most interviews are conducted on line or on the phone for the first pass interviews. I take a work from home day for those. For others I take a days leave or see if I can get an interview at a lunchtime and take an extended lunchbreak.

[@voycodin5042]

Excellent advise!

[@williamj.dovejr.8613]

I was at a job for five years, dependable, customers loved me but management never gave me a raise but gave others raises, convinced me if I worked harder then the raise would come ... but just another broken promise. I soon realized that because I was there for so long that some coworkers and some customers started taking me for granted... treating me poorly. One night, I had had enough, I got home, had a glass of bourbon and wrote out my two weeks notice. I decided to wait and pound pavement getting a new job, possibly a second one. I got hired somewhere else and I had my notice in my bag. As usual, I was treated like crap...I slipped my notice under the boss's door. Once I did, I didn't care...I just did the bare minimum, no favors, no small talk, no after hours talk with coworkers, none. My boss refused to even speak to me on my last day. Go to where you are appreciated.. not tolerated.

[@AFuller2020]

You get paid to provide a service, that is appreciation, it’s just a job.

[@amzmoney]

I work I tech and I can attest to this. I jump around every 2-3 years to increase my salary and skills. Every new job, I got paid significantly more. There is no such thing as loyalty when your job can literally let you go tomorrow. Look out for yourself FIRST. Reminder.. you are working so that someone else can live their dream (CEO). So you must always follow your dream.

[@AFuller2020]

That takes initiative…. If you haven’t noticed it’s in short supply.

[@victormendes1588]

Yet companies and recruiters want to have a "stable track record"

[@Chris-ze4sq]

This might be Brian's best video ever. My Dad worked 37 years for the same employer and got the gold watch and nice pension and that's what he taught me. I thought I was on that same track, but my employer thought otherwise. My story is exactly the same as what Brian talked about in this video--over 15 years with one company, mostly at the same level, getting good reviews, then magicially "under-performing" for a year and getting put on a PIP before I got fired in a meeting with HR. Was escorted out to my car by two big beefy security guards. At least I didn't have to pack up boxes in front of my co-workers--the company sent me my stuff in the mail (after I had to remind them to do it).

[@bigbanknewyork3655]

Rough story. Your dad lived in a different era before outsourcing and internet.

[@SurpriseMeJT]

Similar thing happened to me, but it was mostly due to office politics. I performed well, until suddenly, even though I was doing the same job, my "performance" took a hit. They make up all kinds of stupid reasons during your performance evaluation to create that paper trail which justifies firing you later. It never worked because I fought back and then quit on my own terms. I made them pay but in the end I could have earned more if I had fought earlier. Lesson learned on both sides as I am pretty sure they got in trouble as well.

[@BeegirlsHoneyHouse]

God bless you-I’m so sorry. These barracuda investment companies are eating us alive and could care less what happens to us. I’m approaching my 10 year and within the last year the company has been methodically extracting all of the incentive earning opportunities many of us have survived and thrived on. Overtime, gone-this week-withdrew all commission pay and replaced (Hah-yea)with a pathetic 1.10 an hour raise. Reeling and panicked and approaching 60. 🤷‍♀️🫣🇺🇸

[@davidoconnell2057]

What happened

[@izamalcadosa2951]

@@bigbanknewyork3655 Before Globalization, as well.

[@clallen2000]

I worked for a city government for 10 years in the IT department. I started looking for another job that had better career opportunities and several recruiters asked my why I had stayed so long at that job and told me that most tech workers only stay at jobs 3-5 years because there was always someone paying better. Lesson learned and my next job paid me 50% more than the last one did.

[@se2664]

Interesting that they would ask you why you stayed so long ..

[@mitchdogstudios]

Local government doesn't pay squat

[@clallen2000]

@@se2664 Employers don't look at workers that stay at a company as loyal but instead they see them as workers that have been stagnant doing one thing a certain way but they value workers that have had diverse experience from a wide range of experience. Some companies do things their own way but not the correct industry way. When I worked at the City we weren't allowed to load the latest security patches and drivers on the server because it would sometimes break the NetWare server and it could be down for an extended amount of time.

[@PremiumFuelOnly]

Just because a job pays more dosent mean its better. Government jobs are more stable. Also depends on the commute and how management treats you.

[@ericcarson342]

I've been trying to get into a local city government job. I thought it was high paying and desirable, especially IT. I had no idea.

[@kaseywahl]

The message I'm getting from this video is "work for yourself because working for anyone else is exhausting and self-deprecating".

[@k.chriscaldwell4141]

Yup. I used my anger engendered in a bad work environment to push me to start my own business. Within a couple of years I was making more than twice my income that I had made working for the tyrants. I also set my own hours, etc. and enjoyed a much better family life.

[@craigcarter400]

I’ve been working for myself full time with as many gig work apps as possible since March 2022. The first 11 months in PHX and the last few months in ABQ and Santa Fe. For the right wage I may consider entering the W-2 workforce again.

[@kaseywahl]

@@craigcarter400 What factors make you consider going back to W-2? Have you considered starting a business instead of contracting?

[@craigcarter400]

@@kaseywahl It is starting to take a lot more hours to take home what I could make at a $20 + per hour W-2. Starting a business would be the most ideal, if I can get one started and off the ground.

[@kaseywahl]

@@craigcarter400 What factors are making it harder to make as much money as before? Sorry if I'm asking too many questions. I've been jostling the idea around to leave the W-2 life for a while and I'm genuinely interested in your experiences.

[@jaegar1nine266]

My Dad always taught that “Your boss is not your friend.” And it’s true. They can act friendly all they want, but usually that kind of boss is a snake. The answer: start a business and get free from the rat race.

[@RebekahAPinto]

Or become your own boss. Just doing your thing.

[@righthandstep5]

Aka open a business​@RebekahAPinto

[@TWHISPERER]

Start a business - that's right - in a good economy. These days, a lot of "businesses" are suffering. First, it was white collar jobs, college educated people. Now, it's warehouses due to Amazon layoffs, UPS, FED EX, Walmart closing stores and more closures to come, car manufacturers layoffs, Ford, Chevy, GMC, even engineers. Soon, just like in 2020, as less people have jobs, less people will go out to eat, and restaurants and bars will suffer again. Layoffs there are coming...Oh, and those of you STUPID F..S that think that you got it made because you didn't get laid off - the more people lose their jobs, and the less jobs are hiring, the less spending on the economy that there will be - meaning that your company, no matter what industry that you are in, will have to do even more layoffs down the road, even if they are saying that the layoffs are ending, don't count on it. You're not safe, not even upper management. We're doing as badly right now as we were when the mortgage crash was going on, except we have one thing working against us that will cause this crash to last - AI. That isn't going away, so a lot of jobs will be gone for good. I saw today on a YT video that UPS wants to use more automation in their warehouses. AI and Automation - WE'RE DOOMED!!! Every state better start building a lot more homeless shelters, dozens more per state.

[@stemhistory]

Save the loyalty for your family, a few close friends and your football team. Not for a company that would replace and fire you in a heartbeat

[@seinfan9]

My uncle worked for AT&T for nearly 20 years. Moved up to a high technical position in some sort of networking. Absolute workaholic, well respected from my understanding. They recently shut down his business unit and he was simply let go. Not entirely sure, but I think he's found it extremely difficult finding comparable work. Seems like what he was doing was very specific to their business and his skillset doesn't translate well. He has yet to find anything and I think he's pretty much just doing what were side hustles now as his primary source of income.

[@ALifeAfterLayoff]

Unfortunate, all too common story.

[@asadb1990]

And this is why you keep looking for other jobs and keep resumes polished. And come in sit at 8a and out in the car by 5p. Unpaid ot is a gimmick. And if someone comes to you for a task, claim it will take longer than actuality.

[@patty109109]

Scary but real. Only two ways I know of to mitigate: 1) stay current with in-demand skills, and/or 2) if you can’t/don’t want to leave a job with dubious future prospects you need to strive for financial independence. In other words if you’re 53 and can’t get work again but you spent your working career setting yourself up, putting money aside for retirement etc now you can afford to take a massive pay cut. Getting into your 50’s still living paycheck to paycheck and now you’re going for tech jobs with gray hair and just looking old that is too risky… I remember reading people in their 50's are no more likely to be laid off than younger people, but they do take significantly longer to find work. If you are in this group it's incumbent that you are protecting yourself from being aged out and SOL.

[@TheRVSN]

@spamdawg1, "everyone is disposable and outsourceable to india" - because of "best shoring"... In UK they pay 75 EUR/h, in India they pay 9 EUR/h. I know it as a former IT Project Manager responsible for budgets.

[@TheRVSN]

@@patty109109, "you need to strive for financial independence" - accept no bank loans including credit cards.

[@jesmith9975]

If you need proof of this, there are over 100K big tech workers who can tell you why you shouldn't worry about loyalty, from their recent experience.

[@ALifeAfterLayoff]

Truth.

[@Jupiterxice]

Facts....... Especially when they low wage you.

[@Chris-vx5kp]

"learn2weld" was trending a while back. Luckily I can both weld (TIG/MIG) and program (python, VBA, g-code, C), but my current job needs none of these skills. I'm useless all around.

[@dcocz3908]

Job is job, when its over there will be another even if you dont want it

[@izamalcadosa2951]

Yupe! Got laid-off from Google in January 2023. I'm at Nvidia, now, but it's not a secure job at this point, either, because they are a big tech giant, and they are looking to start laying-off this Summer and Fall 2023. IT Engineers of any kind are not really in demand in 2023! Having Apple, Inc. Samsung and Google on your resume isn't going to help as much as it did back in 2022, 2021 and 2020, and years going back!

[@eriktaylor1225]

“At this job, we’re a family!” (We play favorites and award raises and positions based on who we like or are related to.” “Pizzas every other Friday” (you may have one slice on your 15 minute break later in the day which will be cold and stale by then) “Competitive salaries!” (About 10 cents above minimum wage) “My door is always open!” (Just don’t expect any actual help) “Vacation and sick time balances can be accrued unlimited” (but just don’t use it, otherwise you’ll be blackballed” “We’re a team” (you’ll be expected to forgo your entire family friends, holidays, and personal life and work extra hours) “We need a real go-getter!” (Someone who will work extra assignments but for no extra pay)

[@Jupiterxice]

Competitive raise lol I got a lousy 1.6% raise for a year of busting my tail as well being overworked. I left that company and felt better mentally.

[@asadb1990]

​@Jupiter1000x ice woah 1.6%? I have gotten 3.5% and it felt like nothing. I wouldn't be happy with anything less than 10%

[@Jupiterxice]

@@asadb1990 another few weeks after I got put on PIP so left with dignity

[@torrvic1156]

Yay! You’re greatly summed up this corporate pigs business.

[@asadb1990]

@@Jupiterxice this is why i say learn from job and every 1-2 years look for another job.

[@rosemarybanner]

Don’t get chatty about your personal life at work…if possible share nothing….it will bite you in the behind if you do.

[@fhowland]

What you described was 100% me at my first job out of college. I stayed there for six years and never moved up. Regret it dearly.

[@dan44zzt231]

I stayed 8 years in mine, they rang me and asked me to come back 4 years after I left and nigh on doubled my salary. Reckon I'd have got a single penny of increases if I'd stayed? Doubt it.

[@snipelite94]

I used to take on extra responsibility and was always the go-to-guy and fixer, at many companies. However, if you behave like the useful idiot, there are always narcissists and clout chasers who will happily treat you like a doormat. Even the nice people will wipe their feet on you, if they think there's no repercussions, because you're always too nice and gentlemanly.

[@arthursalas8010]

I was working security for a couple months at a company’s warehouse with warehouse workers. I got to know the employees a little bit and they were all cool people. One day I open the work laptop and it immediately showed a guy that was laid off and not allowed back into the building. Moments later that same guy tried to badge in and couldn’t get into the front door because he had not been contacted and had no idea he was laid off. Guy had worked there 9 years. I felt so bad for him and he was a good worker as far as I knew.

[@arthursalas8010]

Nope, that’s why he still showed up to work. Tried to badge in and couldn’t.

[@briankady1456]

And they didn't even have the balls to tell him he was laid off. That is so messed up!!

[@andrewmachado6988]

I worked in security at a distribution centre for a grocery store chain and this was common practice there as well.

[@sephondranzer]

This story hurts - no idea what it’s like to be treated like this by people who were the closest thing you’d have to family. Heart wrenching and I’m so sorry for the guy.

[@gudgurl]

Considering anyone at work "closest thing you'd have to family" is already a huge mistake.

[@justhereforagoodtime88]

@@gudgurl agree. I've never let my workplace get that close with me. I say my pleasantries and mind my business. I don't participate or play into workplace "family activities". My job even has these stupid ebirthday cards to sign for your bosses and coworkers. No way do I participate in that. No one knows my birthday. Why should I put in ANY extra energy in my job when I know none of it will secure my position.

[@dekippiesip]

@@justhereforagoodtime88 because networking? It actually is crucial that you do go to these social events, especially if you work in a large company. Make sure you speak people from different departments and higher ups. They can be your ticket to a better job at the same company.

[@inbornwanderlust1076]

​@@justhereforagoodtime88Yes networking! You are falling behind by not participating. You don't do it because you enjoy it necessarily if that's not your jam, but it highly behooves you to make as many connections as you can. Even if you aren't all that keen on your current company, making connections with your co workers can be vital because when they move on themselves, you now have an inside connection to a new company and so on and so forth. This is the new "loyalty" that advances your career since single company loyalty is dead.

[@olencone4005]

At a printshop for a large Fortune 500 company I worked at some years ago, there was one guy who handled large-format printing and finishing, including all of the cutting and trimming of posters and banners and the special packaging they would require. He'd been with the company for over 20 years. Unfortunately, the amazing manager we had chose to leave to pursue a lifelong interest, and the new manager that the company placed there was anything but amazing -- he was a number cruncher, and he didn't care about anything but money. He tasked himself with lowering our expenses and increasing our profits, because that would make him look good to corporate... so instead of meeting his new team or learning any of our names, he began going over pay grades and job responsibilities to see who he could eliminate. And because this one guy had been there for so long and did such a good job, he was paid considerably more than the underpaid newer hires in the Production department. So our new manager fired him, for no reason more than saving a few thousand dollars each year. Naturally, the Production department fell apart. No one else knew how to do his job, or at least not as well. Projects were delayed... then backlogged... then we began sending them to a vendor because there was just too much to catch up. Tens of thousands of dollars were lost and wasted, all because this failure of a manager wanted to save a few grand. Months later, the company rehired the finisher... at a somewhat higher pay, to match what he was getting at his new job. And the manager.... he "retired." It's a shame he didn't get fir--er, "retire" earlier, it would have saved that company a fair bit of money, and kept so many of the more experienced staff from leaving.

[@stratmancruthers]

Worked in the print industry all my life, was a prepress technician for 40+ years, when I reached my 50s company was bought out by a private equity firm who than proceeded to eliminate all the older employees including myself, was with the same company for 14 years so much for loyalty.

[@Defaulted123]

That new manager you mentioned had no idea how organisations work. When you fire that one multitasker, on wich everything depends, you create a hole within the system by a lack of skills that were needed there. Most bosses or managers of such companies have no idea of skillsets or talent managing. They can't lead nor have knowledge in corporate organisations. Although it should be basic knowledge to all leaders. I worked 10 years in retail trade and have seen so much incompetence amongst lower and middle management. Well, what to say?

[@olencone4005]

@@Defaulted123 Yep, he pretty much crippled our entire process just by firing that one finisher -- and it boggled everyone that he'd do such a thing! It dominoed a bit after that too -- some of the other folks in Production wound up leaving because he'd yell at them for not being as good or as fast filling the shoes of the guy that he'd fired. They got tired of that pretty fast! He did the same thing in the Design Department I was in, getting rid of several Designers because he decided there were enough to cover the work... the work was more involved than what he knew tho, and more people wound up leaving because (surprise!) they didn't like being yelled at by a clueless manager. It worked out in the end, with him getting axed... but the damage was already done. It's a shame companies don't catch people like that BEFORE they get in a position to do damage like that :(

[@serafinacosta7118]

People who are obsessed with numbers , tend to miss big on evaluating of one’sworth . They are poor value assessors. They are everywhere , in all walks of life. Understanding value takes a lot more than just crunching numbers.

[@izamalcadosa2951]

There's always that 1 Asshole or Bitch Manager or Supervisor at a company that will do crap like this that you mentioned!! They act like the company belongs to them and they're just a replaceable employee, like everyone else! I greatly dislike managers and supervisors that act like the company belongs to them!

[@sidehustlevikki1066]

I was never taught any of this and 10 years into my career I realize why my family is so financially behind and why I’ll end up living paycheck to paycheck even if I’m a hard worker, if I don’t educate myself on how people actually become high earners. I know people who have had the same job since high school (70s’) retired at 65 (2019) and we’re making LESS than 50k a year. I was always taught that hard work = success which is not true!!!!!! Working smart = success. It’s really depressing seeing people work their entire lives to still be poor. But I’m glad for platforms like this because they have really helped me understand how people are able to move up consistently and get rewarded for their time and commitment

[@ladydulaney]

Girl, same!! Both my parents worked the same jobs for 14 and 20+ years and never earned more than $30k and $40k.

[@inbornwanderlust1076]

One important thing about this that he didn't get into is how at the basic level of business structure companies divide their work into roles that they need workers to fill. It benefits them the most when they have hard working competent people in those roles. No matter who works that role, they need someone to do it. If it isn't you, they'll need someone else to do it. The ugly truth they don't tell you is that when they get a hard working, loyal, punctual, respectful person killing it in their role, they actually have less incentive to want to promote them because they will then need to refill that role. This gets even more important in lesser skilled industries as it is very hard to find these people that will actually do a good job based only on their own personal morals and standards of valuing hard and honest work. So management uses these people (currently you) to death and keeps them in those roles because they know how much harder their own job will be if they constantly have to manage a bunch of people only there for a paycheck and how much time and effort it takes to keep replacing and training people. So in a nutshell, the harder you work and the better job you do, the more your boss wants to keep you in that role. If you've ever tried for a promotion at a job where there was not obvious office politics and favoritism going on, but you got passed over for the promotion anyway and a co worker you know is not as competent and good as you got the higher level role, then, at it's core, this is what happened to you. It's the real reason you have to take control yourself, because your best interest and their best interest are probably not in alignment. I see your username is side hustle. I am side hustling as well right now. You have to work those apps or they'll work you, right? You have to know what offers you are willing to do and areas you're willing to go because they are sure going to send you anything. $2 offer? Absolutely not! But if you take it, they'll have you running yourself into the ground.

[@finnwheatley2194]

I can’t imagine how much value you have added for people over the years just by reminding people to act like a free agent :) Must be a lot

[@ALifeAfterLayoff]

Thank you, I appreciate that!

[@ZGoddessLola]

Company loyalty is like waiting to death sentence to be executed

[@ALifeAfterLayoff]

If not managed properly.

[@dcocz3908]

Accepting you're a bottom feeder is the first steps to ... your next bottom feeding role. How'd do I know? bubble, bubble

[@ZGoddessLola]

@@ALifeAfterLayoff I would say as soccer players do. Always get interviewed and always be ready to leave. Act as you have two years contract and every 3 years if you did not climb up. Leave to a better position

[@PAJ3Cub]

I worked for a company for almost 30 years. I saw the company going in a different direction and tried to get management to include me in the future goals of the company. Management continued to tell me that my job was safe and that they would promote me in short time and just be patient as things get into place. 29 years and 10 months, I was stabbed in the back and pushed out the front door. I learned a valuable lesson that day. Company loyalty is one way. Only a fool is loyal to an employer. I've seen employers push employees out. I've always been told that it is customary and courteous to give 2 weeks notice to an employer when/if leaving. HAHAAHHA! No way, ace! When I leave, I'm gone.

[@pietreks3409]

Why would I ever hold loyalty to a place that does not care about me beyond how my work is bringing the profit?

[@matthewk4912]

Exactly. We all need to ask ourselves that same question.

[@Jupiterxice]

Brian your videos help me get perspective on things especially in cybersecurity world. Stay a free agent and think of yourself as a business never stay loyal to anyone but you and your family.

[@ALifeAfterLayoff]

Changing the workplace, one mind at a time!

[@joycejoy4119]

You are the business / corporation. That’s why when you marry you get a partner.

[@CamdenBloke]

This happened to my dad. He was an engineer for AT&T when I was a kid. I think when he initially joined, before I was born, the company was Western Electric or Bell Labs or something. As I was reaching adulthood, the division he worked for became Lucent. I'm sure you know what happened to Lucent. Thankfully, he had been very conservative about saving money and not upgrading his lifestyle, so he could retire, and he had a pension that my mom still lives on, even though he died a number of years ago.

[@eleveneleven572]

Time has changed. There was a time where loyal service was recognised. But now on both ends it has changed. Companies treat employees like numbers and employees work strictly to their job description, and often reluctantly. Loyalty is so last year. I saw this in the early 2000's and got out aged 46, cashed in my city property and moved to the country.

[@mbank3832]

I already learned that there is no such thing as loyalty from the layoff of my very first job after college. Since then, I will not give my all to a corporate job

[@aliannarodriguez1581]

Managers love seeing eager kids arriving just out of school. The new hires will proactively abuse their health and mental well being in order to “prove themselves”. I advise young hires to work hard and smart during your regular day, but do not routinely let your work bleed into your evenings and weekends. They will never get that time with their family and friends back, and it won’t be rewarded in the way they expect.

[@Whisky_Tango_Foxtrot]

I'm glad I found this channel a year ago. It helped me understood the position I was in and encouraged me enough to quit my job at a small telecommunications company which I was employed for the last 7 years. Just recently I was hired for an IT position with 25k more on top of my previous salary! They also will cover the cost of my certification courses and pay 100% of my benefits! I also received multiple offers from companies like Google, tesla, and a few well known tech manufacturers. I shocked on how much I was underselling myself. This channel is gold for anyone stuggling to understand their postion, wondering what a toxic environment is, resume help, and interview tips. If you put the effort in, I guarantee you will come up better than your last job!

[@erfields]

What exactly do you do in IT. I'm interested in career advice

[@CrashCarlisle]

This is literally,my story. 25 years as a solid employee and bam….gone. My skills were useless I had to start over at a bit more than half pay, but I finally worked my way back after a few years.

[@TWHISPERER]

Unfortunately, these days, it can happen all over again.

[@RiannaNicole]

I recently saw a 30+ yr employee to I believe Microsoft, get let go. That’s my lifespan roughly. Can’t imagine that sort of time into a company, in this market. 10 years is too long for most people anymore.

[@ALifeAfterLayoff]

Unless you're not interested in a career, and are more looking for just a job, staying put for 10 years is bad.

[@asadb1990]

Yeah 2 years max and you should be actively looking for next jobs.

[@RiannaNicole]

You aren’t wrong there. Almost made the 10 yr mistake myself.

[@Defaulted123]

@@asadb1990 So why a company should give you a job when you always hop around?

[@Defaulted123]

@@ALifeAfterLayoff It's not bad having 10 years of problem solving skills combined with an academic degree + all skills you learn today in workshops. Where is the problem? I made 10 years in one field with two jobs, experiencing highs and lows of two companies. I know how companies develop and what happens when they don't! And not to forget, that you always have to find a way of experiencing your self and what you want. 8 til 10 years is a great time. But that is also the absolute limit!

[@NataXano]

Thank you so much for the content you post, I was able to nail the interview process for a new position and just got the offer today!! my current employer was graceful enough to give me a $1,000 x year raise but, with this new company I'm getting a $10,000 salary increase with much better benefits just by staying on that mindset, so thank you once again!!

[@ALifeAfterLayoff]

Nathan, that's amazing! Love these success stories! And way to go with the salary negotiation!

[@15xgg80]

Switching companies for 10k salary increase (in most cases) is not worth it to me. If you are making 20k and going to 30k sure but if you are making 70k and going to 80k not worth imo.

[@NataXano]

@@15xgg80 yeah I’m entry level, going from $36,000 to $48,000 for me is absolutely worth it

[@tdgs62]

Over the years as a boss in numerous organizations it has never failed to amaze me that many employees see their positions as permanent when they are inherently transient. The reality is that anything can happen at anytime and everyone can lose their jobs. Don't tie your ego up in your job. It only pays the bills. Go to work, do a proficient job and leave it at that. You don't get anything for doing more. Put your efforts into looking for another job. Go to interviews, write applications, get feedback from them, work on your interview skills. Then when you have to look for work you will have had plenty of practice at job seeking. Remember, its often the best prepared person who gets the job, not the best applicant. You don't know until you try. You might pick up a better job with more pay. After all, its the money that's important, not the job.

[@aliannarodriguez1581]

One slight caveat I have is that meaningful work is important to a great number of people as well. No kid dreams of growing up to do a job that provides a paycheck and nothing else.

[@joop1991]

I'm baffled by the fact that you can just terminate someone if their role becomes obsolete. In the Netherlands we have permanent contracts, they can't just fire you that easily.

[@gudgurl]

@@aliannarodriguez1581 That's the parents to blame. Most kids grow up thinking they're going to make it big and all of them are special snowflakes. Parents keep feeding that fantasy. If everyone is special, it means no one is.

[@JoaoBatista-yq4ml]

@@joop1991 The solution to these problems is to have an emergency fund and keep their kills up to date. Forcing employers to keep employees they no longer need can create a lot of problems, especially if the company is losing money. It could even led to companies going bankrupt.

[@RodrigoRamirez-eq6gj]

Exactly my experience

[@meligoth]

I remember a Jshua Fluke video where an employee had to give up their pet for adoption because the demands of his workplace would prevent him from taking care of said pet properly. The employer tried to capitalize on this situation thinking others would be willing to sacrifice their time with pets, interests and family to the company from this example. It made it worse. Be loyal to yourself, not the company.

[@CrownHetman]

I was very fortunate to learn this lesson early on in my life. "Do not take home to work, and do not take work home." Those are two separate worlds and mixing the two can have dire consequences. Also i learned that you are just a number or a name on paper to those people. When time comes they will let you go.

[@DGPHolyHandgrenade]

I had a 15 year stint with my last employer, but a very different story than described here. But to my credit, I learn new skills for fun. Not only just to keep marketable. Once the layoff hit, I had a sizeable severance, which I used to act on the plan I'd been discussing with my manager anyway; which was certification. I landed at a big tech firm, you know one of the many that made news earlier this year for a massive layoff. Great pay, benefits, and looks like long-term potential if I want it. I should note that one of the main reasons I stayed as long was because I felt I was getting growth. I was getting promotions regular enough that it wasnt simply 15 years of 1-4% raises. I'd learn new skills and implement them on the job. Which got me recognition for still more high profile projects and such. I came out with a very desirable skillset.

[@spoddie]

I've seen this so many times in IT. Dedicated people maintain legacy systems, a small number of people keeping the company running, until the legacy system is replaced and those dedicated people are terminated. Left with skills that are obsolete early retirement is often their best solution.

[@AFuller2020]

Well, it is IT.

[@hejiranyc]

I’m 53 and the end of the road is a bit away but also within sight. After 30 years of plugging away steadily in the same industry in the same function, I am finally at the top of the career ladder (VP). To be honest, I never had ambitions to get this far because I don’t have a PhD and I assumed that would hold me back. So I spent many years in middle management thinking that this was my lot in life and it was more than good enough. Only after I got laid off last year, I finally created a LinkedIn profile and put myself out there. Immediately I was flooded with VP level opportunities without even trying and I ultimately received multiple offers. Moral to the story? I was holding myself back. I had low expectations for myself and I literally had to fall upwards to realize that. Who knows how many years I could have been at the VP level if I was more intentional about my career and more willing to validate my worth on a periodic basis? I know of PhDs in my field who are even older than me who are still at lower levels. Ultimately it was about what I can do as an individual and the perceived skill set I bring to the table, which goes far beyond just a piece of paper from a school. Know your worth, y’all!

[@AFuller2020]

Initiative, you took it and it served you well.

[@inbornwanderlust1076]

Thank you for this! I'm 44 and about to reenter a field I went to school for but have no idea where I would stand now since spending a considerable time in another industry. I have the executive level skill set but don't know the best way to put myself out there considering my experience lap in the field I'm reentering. It's interesting and encouraging to hear how your industry resonated with your skills and experiences naturally into the role you are in now although you hadn't considered it a possibility.

[@MrSteve-hy9yo]

Take listen to this message about loyalty. Same thing happened to me some years ago. Had a high tech leadership role, always had rockstar Perf reviews however when the new VP joined, it was all about cost cutting. Thankfully, I was always trying to learn the latest tech so when I got laid off, I took some time to get some key certs before landing my new role. Always stay on top of the latest technologies and continue to school yourself. Remember, always invest in yourself. Stay strong and safe out there everyone.

[@Info-God]

1. Never wish to be promoted. Do not share personal stuff with any colleague. 2. Pay attention to what goes wrong. 3. Be silent about findings. 4. Think to solutions to problems. 5. Find solutions 6. Use the solutions for improve your work 7. Move around to gather more problems 8. Slowly, open your business oferring solutions to problems

[@Info-God]

@@jg79100 Not if done on my own time. No company owns my private time. Btw. You understand why companies do no train unless you are one of them (friend, son, daughter, nephew, buddy).

[@divin777]

I am a self employed construction worker. The things that resonated with me a lot was keeping in touch with the market i am involved in. I did a lot of changes and added plenty of things I do in my work, I can still see lots of opportunities in changing and adding. And it feels great!

[@SuperBoomshack]

I have been with my employer over 23 years and I have never felt safe from being let go, i understand that loyalty means nothing when it comes to the bottom line

[@dodsonarmsco]

They have no respect for anything you have ever done for them and will even lay you off the day before you are eligible for a pension Seen this happen to many people. The worst company asked the employees to pay for a gold watch for a 30 year employee, needless to say he did not get a watch since the company would not pay for it.

[@ALifeAfterLayoff]

Always act like a free agent!

[@derrickpangilinan]

Employees are treated as commodities instead of human beings, nowadays simply find the most competent worker to be paid for the lowest amount possible and to be replace as soon as obsolete or redundant. Only be loyal... to yourself.

[@nordoceltic7225]

I've been calling the phenomenon "renting organic equipment." People need to wake up and realize the idea of a "partnership" arrangement of the old employee system is dead and buried. Managers now look at labor as a rented commodity service, and they are willing to make the mistake of thinking one human is the same as any other human with a few keywords in the resume. So they are willing let people go freely. Of course then management wonders why productivity and quality is down, and why morale plummets and the teams all quiet quit. I don't know how we reverse the trend of management looking at people as "wet machines" and focus on retaining quality employees rather than focusing on maximum short term ROI on employee labor costs, which is what drives the cyclical lay off mentality, and the willingness to turn people lose rather than reshuffle valuable people when internal business organizations change. It was remarked in the 1980's in the late days of the Soviet Union the government was so tangled up they were failing to make paychecks, and merit based raises stopped happening. But of course at the time in the USSR, people who didn't have jobs where considered criminals, and went to the gulags. So Its caused the workers to begrudgingly still show up for work, but to all lose morale and just quiet quit in place, doing the absolute minimum effort they could get away with. Like iit was widely remarked that anybody who traveled to the USSR would get the worst "no fucks given" service of any nation anywhere in the world at the time. People just couldn't be bothered to do anything. And given they were the working but literally starving, can you blame them? And the rampant quiet quitting did more to crush and collapse the USSR than Ronnie Ray-gun ever did. And despite all the chest beating of the star-spangled moron brigade, the USSR honestly died from the inside. The struggle and collapse lead eventually motivated the entire Red Army to support Boris Yeltsin's coup that destroyed the USSR because even the army was sick of how bad things were. A similar thing seems to be happening in the West as global capitalism breaks down and workers realize the ONLY outcome for them in their careers is to eventually get screwed over with a surprise termination. When hard work has no reward people start phoning their jobs in, and as they do that nation wide, everything starts coming apart. Society DEPENDS on motivated people trying their best all over the place to function. And yet history is being ignored. Working-class grievances are ignored, and then activists are arrested, and finally protests are shut down violently. Which has no led to the only option: quiet quit and let it burn. The soft coup.

[@BrandonBarbera]

@@nordoceltic7225 Informative post! The west is building robots that will soon replace most human jobs, which is why getting into a trade is the best option if all else fails.

[@connor_flanigan]

there are no human beings in the USA. the USA has tax payers, employees and customers. unless money or labor can be extracted from you - you simply don't exist.

[@Thesakuraharona]

This is valuable to me. I began working at a great company 3 years ago and loyalty SEEMS to be valued, but I am still young and getting started in the IT industry. My mother ran into this exact issue herself and was ultimately locked out of the industry entirely after being laid off from her 20 year + job. Now she is stuck working a seasonal job because even local fast food and retail jobs won't give her a chance for some reason. Worker beware.

[@KennTollens]

That same thing happened to me 18 years on a software project using the same tools and I though I had skills when I was done. I was extremely outdated. It was so daunting. The job posts seem to want 5+ skills sets that each would take at least a year to become a beginner. Well, I need money now, I need a job now, so I ended up washing dishes.

[@mandisaw]

Tech recruiting is terrible, and has been for years. I remember my last unemployment period, had places asking for min 5yoe coding Android, when the SDK had only been outside of Google for about 2yrs at that point. I'd advise choosing one or two key technologies that work for you & your existing skillset, and focus on those, particularly if you can put a working, demonstrable project together. Those laundry-list job postings are aspirational at best, laughable at worst. Good luck 👍

[@Al-rn5qy]

Awesome reminder. For years I worked for toxic employers and the advantage to that was it's easy not to be too comfortable working there (obviously 😉). Well, for the last 8 years I've been working for the best employer I could have ever asked for! They value me, respect me, and most of the time listen to what I have to say (even if they can't always accommodate). This is why videos like these are so on point, because it's a reminder that complacency is dangerous! Of course I will continue to value my employer, but I will also make sure I continue to keep my skills and resumè updated. That way when (not if) my employer gets tired of me, I will be in the best position possible to move on. I know that last sentence sounds a little cynical, but this video is right: that's where we are folks!

[@Pinpilinlique]

You’re the beeeeest thank you. This gives me total anxiety but I know I have to think about this better and start acting as you say, a free agent. My jive is totally anacronic and falling behind. So thank for the reminder that even if they don’t value us other employers likely will.

[@CodingAbroad]

I have job hopped the last 2 years and I doubled my salary. Loyalty does set you back. Also regarding this story: it’s his own fault if his skillset fell out of date. That’s every developer’s responsibility

[@carldrogo9492]

"Developer"? did you assume his trade?

[@CodingAbroad]

@@carldrogo9492 he’s clearly a developer. The whole story is about his skills aren’t up to date specifically on “new disruptive technology”. You’re not going to experience that if you’re a bland manager who hasn’t bothered keeping his Microsoft Excel skills up to date lol

[@chuckmaddison2924]

Oh, you are so spot on. Just left a company after 27 years. I had to quit due to injury that impacted my job. There were plenty of other jobs suitable but not suggested I could swap to. Why I wonder. My daughter at same company quit shortly after for something more in line with her degree. But the big kick was the department manager saying " workers shouldn't expect to advance in the company "

[@KaijinD]

I did a roundtable at a university on working in national security. A student asked me what my greatest mistake was. I replied "being too loyal" to my office. And I meant it. That was a hard realization for me. I liked being "the guy" on a particular issue. I was and am ambitious about my career, but I made the mistake of assuming my organization would value my specialization. So I did grunt work well past my need and didn't seek out growth and stretch assignments when I should have. When I started to seek those things out, my immediate leadership "jokingly" called me a traitor and commented that it was out of character for me. I acidly noted to the students that my boss always said I just needed ten more years to be ready for the thing I wanted.

[@davidgagniere2923]

I spent 21 years at the same company, and like the Bob in your story it was steady and reliable with consistently good performance reviews. But over time I fell further behind on skills and pay and made the mistake of not thinking like a free agent. In 2021 at the tail end of the pandemic the company did another round of layoffs and I was a lucky winner. I found another job a month later, but it was nowhere near as good, and I am looking for a replacement gig now. (I relied on a lot of your videos in that month to prepare for that next gig, so thank you). All of those "new" technologies my old company found no use for are now minimum standards for the roles I would like to do. I had planned on working another 10 years at that old company before retiring. I am now past retirement age, so I may just pull the plug and start the next chapter of my life. So I personally do not face the pressure a younger person might at this stage, but you are absolutely right that we are free agents and need to act as such and work under that principal. In the old job I learned some skills on my own that I needed to know to better deal with issues at work. I should have worked harder on my own time and learned those other "new" technologies that would have at least placed me in a competitive position now.

[@THillick]

I’ve been preaching this for 35+ years. I’ve seen people leave hundreds of thousands on the table over the course of their careers.

[@MrWaterbugdesign]

I agree. I was a software engineer and worked at about 14 companies in my career. Retired 21 years ago at 45 but continued writing code for fun. Worked in startups so jumping companies wasn't hard. It definitely keeps skills up. I only ever looked for better projects, more opportunity, not salary. But salary increases come naturally as skills grow and I shipped more products. When asked "Why should we hire you?" My answer became "Because I ship products" and I had the resume to back that up. That's music to people trying to start a new company and a product never done before. Super fun. However it takes a certain type of person. I worked with some people who were super stressed by that work environment.

[@auctionmusic]

I did similiar to this for about 20 years as a one person corporation software consultant. You need to know what is needed before, they don't offer on the job training. If you cannot self learn, and quickly, this life is not for you.

[@AFuller2020]

I’ve never left for more money, I follow the opportunity, the money shows up next.

[@JusPri]

I believe the concern being addressed here is about staying updated with current trends and technologies in a specific area and the importance of continuous learning as an employee. In the 21st century, it's vital for every employee, regardless of their loyalty to a company, to remain relevant and employable by keeping up with necessary skills, knowledge, and experience. While some loyal employees may become complacent in their job, there are also many individuals who remain loyal for years and stay updated, making them valuable assets to other companies.

[@deltapi8859]

Finally a title that bears the intention of informing people about corporate reality.

[@SymphoniasStories]

I can relate to Bob's situation. I was loyal - too loyal - and management other than my immediate and maybe his/her supervisor (I went through 3 managers) did not appreciate it. Stayed almost 13 years - had a family to support and stability was important to me - but I liked my co-workers and was good at the job. Unfortunately, the company screwed us over when it came time that they decided to relocate our product to HQ out of state and close our office - developers got to telecommute but the team I was on didn't. They told us our options were train replacements over the internet to get severance and extended benefits, quit and get no severance, or move to the new location. Oh, and the severance required us to do a non-compete. I looked for work for a while, but decided after a point to stop trying to find another job and focus on being a SAHM. Husband is now the breadwinner.

[@carldrogo9492]

What is SAHM?

[@reel2real949]

@@carldrogo9492 Stay-at-home mom

[@nicholausbuthmann1421]

I Hate those "Damn Non-Compete Clauses" ! So very wrong !

[@toughenupfluffy7294]

I've been in the workforce since 1976, and I have yet to find a company that deserves my loyalty. Not that I'm so special, but they suck that badly.

[@hailhydra5061]

This is me, except I haven’t been let go. I’ve been using your vids to get my resume updated and been doing some interviews and have received an offer, with some others trying to track me down. Thank you!

[@BattlecryGWJ]

One large company I worked for went through a round of layoffs and a team member who was one of the better performing and more knowledgeable members of the team was impacted, so many of us were rather surprised by the choice. A few weeks later, on a Friday night over some drinks that team member came up in conversation due to an issue that we ran into during the week that the team member in question would have been the most familiar with, so the question was kinda of generally tossed out "how'd that decision get made?" The question could have just gone unanswered but our team manager made the comment that he didn't know how the decision was made and that he found out shortly before everyone else did. I'm not sure that the answer given was the truth, let alone the norm, but it seemed very informative regardless. I can understand the manager not wanting to take ownership, but the thought that people unfamiliar with the personnel were making personnel decisions was a clear indicator to the rest of us that we weren't working for the right company.

[@gabrielj.negrontroche4188]

This usually goes in corporate America. Which i am now the amount of seniors fired before retirement is disgraceful.

[@torrvic1156]

Why this happens in the US? I am probably glad that I didn’t moved to US several years ago.

[@Defaulted123]

In Germany you can't be fired from the spot and have to leave the building immediately. You get 1 month at least to search a new job or even more, depending on years you worked in that company. American hire and fire sucks.

[@torrvic1156]

@@Defaulted123 that’s for sure. And as far as I know it is almost impossible to fire employee in France. That’s a great country to live!

[@Defaulted123]

@@torrvic1156 Ok, there is a catch. If you had someone causing real problems in your company, then hire and fire is sometimes not that bad. Otherwise your company gets financially damaged a lot. I experienced this once.

[@artificialaceattorney6822]

I understand what you're saying and agree that it's important to keep your skills current, but having graduated into a rough economy and struggled with getting work, I'd like to be able to settle down and get a job that pays the bill without having to worry about being laid off or having to switch jobs for a pay increase. At this point in my life, all I want is stability.

[@gear_works5853]

I used to feel that way myself. But over the years I've learned that nothing lasts forever and anything can change in a second. You have little to no control over how stable your employment platform is. The best you can do is build a stable safety net under your employment platform to catch you if you are tossed off. Keep your resume updated, keep your ear to the ground to some extent on the economy and trends in your industry, create good professional relationships every step of the way, and minimize the power an employer has over your future by having 6 months of savings as a nest egg.

[@artificialaceattorney6822]

@@gear_works5853 That's certainly fair. I suppose what I'm talking about could be considered an ideal, while you're talking about how things really are.

[@inbornwanderlust1076]

Story time: Through connections some time ago I sort of fell into a job as a property manager with over a 100 apartment units to oversee. It was, at the time, the most high level position I had ever had in my life. I was confident I had the basic skills and tenacity to be successful, but it was still a big leap and involved a lot of things I didn't have prior experience with. It was really rough at first with a lot seeming to be thrown at me. I felt like I was drowning while each time somehow barely keeping my head above water. I kept hoping the chaos would subside soon so I could get more relaxed and comfortable in my role. Then one day, completely randomly, while sitting at my desk barely able to see over the stack of papers about as tall as I was, I had an epiphany. The chaos WAS the job. It was the whole job. My job was to deal with and constantly mitigate all the chaos. If there were no chaos, there'd be nothing to really manage. I excelled exponentially from that day. I had clarity and the chaos didn't give me panic attacks and extreme anxiety because I understood that what I had been doing putting out all these fires as they arose was exactly what I was supposed to be doing. This is your epiphany. What you're hoping will subside soon IS actually life and how jobs are. You'll always need to be aware of possible termination, switching up for the best pay opportunities, probably more often than not feeling unstable or not secure. That's what life is. Those are all the things you navigate through as a working adult. And the more you do it, the more comfortable you'll get. It's not your job paying the bills and putting food on your table. Thinking like that is giving your power away to an external force you cannot ever control. It's your skill set that is paying those bills. Your job is just the vehicle but you are driving. That's what this video is about. It turns out that it was actually Bob's skill set that was important more than his job, but he didn't realize the job was just the vehicle and he was the driver until he got tossed back out to the job pool and found out his skills he thought he had were no longer marketable. Had he kept up with market trends he would have easily been about to land a comparable or better position at another company, but he didn't so he couldn't. If you get into a car wreck you don't just stop driving, you get another vehicle.

[@Seattle-2017]

I learned early in my architecture career that you CANNOT fall behind in technology. Back then, if a firm was not using CAD, they were already hopelessly outdated. As the years went on, 3D CAD software started to become more widely used, SketchUp was invented, then around 2006-'09 Revit became the go-to software for companies wanting to stay on the cutting edge and ahead of the game. I, like many other architects, got laid off in '08, but was still able to learn Revit on my own. Then after that came 3D rendering programs. Now we're at the point where AutoCAD is rarely used and if you're using primarily AutoCAD, you are outdated. And if are with a firm that's not caught up with software technology, you're falling behind, and it's time to get out.

[@mandisaw]

What's the new hotness now? I use Unity for game-dev, and they've been selling it as arch previz, but I'm curious to know if anyone's buying.

[@Paul_Wetor]

The same thing happened to me. I learned that a job is like a glove. Over time it begins to conform to you, and you to it. You and the job are a great fit - but only for that company. If you go somewhere else, they have different software or skills. But it's tough to leave a good job if you like it and the people. P.S. "Keeping your skills up to date" is a hooey platitude. The only way for it to be a skill is to use it every day. I took classes to get a skill I needed and it took 17 years before I actually was able to use it on the job. Companies hire for the skills you have, they don't care about aptitude or potential.

[@jfouellette5174]

I worked for an organization (large) that sent out a memo to everyone that flowers, cards, gifts and any other expenses related to retirement, death, mariage, promotions etc were no longer going to be paid by the company. They must have saved a few thousand dollars and destroyed any employee loyalty value they had.

[@hotrodhunk7389]

After 2 years im looking for a new job. Long enough to show stability.

[@izamalcadosa2951]

Yupe! 2 to 3 years is the sweet spot. 18-months is still passable, as not being a job hopper or looking stable in a job. If it isn't contract work, staying at any job less than a year looks bad but you can get away with it in IT, as a contractor.

[@johnr5252]

Same thing happened to me after 33 years, except it was done virtually. I thought I would have little problem finding another job, but my age is now a barrier. At this point, I can’t even get an interview.

[@LuckyClovers]

what about starting your own business?

[@mandisaw]

I came to the comments to point out age [really, ageism] as a significant factor. Kind of surprised that it didn't come up in the video. Particularly in tech, the assumption is that if you have enough exp to know a command prompt from a hole in the ground, then you're ready for the virtual glue factory. End result is that every company keeps making the same mistakes, because they're working with raw batch of people every 3yrs.

[@frankcorrea8691]

Happens to older men, it is called agesim, almost what goes around comes around, nowadays young people laugh at having to stay longer than 6 months at any job, I go places shopping and see so many new faces everywhere I go, it's the new norm, Dave that money!

[@mandisaw]

@@frankcorrea8691 Not just older men, and not that old. The "cliff" for women in tech is around 40-45, even younger for women of color. For men, stats put it around 50, or 55 if you "read" as younger.

[@SuPeRNinJaRed]

I knew that times have changed when my dad told me it’s ok to be job hopping (which I never thought he’d say in my lifetime)

[@realsushrey]

Organizational commitment is one of the highest predictors of job performance. Hiring new applicants in place of old ones has hidden costs of inefficiency which gets introduced due to the new employee not understanding the organization as well. Companies should encourage employees to up-skill themselves as technology changes.

[@poorlittlebiker6476]

I work for a bus line company as a driver. While I feel like I’m not working because I’m enjoying what I do, I’m always checking for similar job positions. Not because I’m looking to jump ship, but I’m making sure my skills and qualifications are still relevant as time goes on- which being a CDL driver, is likely to stay in demand. I’m not concerned about just up and losing my job, but how many people are? Moral of the story, make sure what you have to offer, is still in demand, so if you were to be fired tomorrow, you’d have a job yesterday.

[@civilapalyan6253]

I agree. You need to take care of yourself, because nobody else will. Companies always do what's in their best interest, so should employees do the same.

[@ubl76ub]

I'm glad I found this channel. It has validated my thought process of "F*ck this job!" since I've been working. I've always been a free agent and have no qualms about leaving a company that doesn't value me as an employee.

[@bob.frapples]

I am lucky enough to work for an Italian company but work primarily in North America. They actually do have the "family" mentality (not The Godfather either guys...). When i needed grieving time and time for surgery there was no time limit and i get the support i need. I consider myself loyal, but still always keep an eye open and keep track of the market. Things can change very quickly.

[@lpanzieri]

Fashion or glasses?

[@bob.frapples]

Packaging (Bologna)

[@keithbender2061]

As of May 5th I was with my job for 30 years. I am $25k under paid for what I do. They treat me well and were really great to me when I had to take care of my parents. I really want to leave and go someplace else, but now, due to my age and health that would be hard to do. I have 9 years to go before I can retire and feel stuck.

[@HDGameTestChannel]

Company loyalty earns you nothing. Thats right. But a high manager gave me a good hint. "Change your Position frequently". I tried it. The first 5 years I got stayed nearly the same. The last 4 years I changed 2 times the position in the company and each time earned me an upgrade. I even negotiated another Upgrade for next year. Also its very good for the CV as each position needs other skills. Another plus is that you can build a good network trough different departments.

[@CobisTaba]

One benefit in the Netherlands is if a company decides to reduce the organization, you have to use a 'last in, first out' principle divided in age brackets. As in: you divide everyone in age brackets, and if the total reduction is 10%, you fire 10% of the people from each bracket. If you want to fire someone for performance issues, build a case and fire them for that. But if the reduction is for economic reasons, you have to keep loyal people the longest.

[@DiamondFlame45]

That’s because in Europe you have stronger worker protections than the US! Corporations lobby in the US to push legislation in favor of companies.

[@richardpeace3292]

Deciding who to make redundant on the basis of age is considered illegal in the EU and UK.....Age is a protected characteristic under Human Rights law. If I ever found out I was being laid off over another person simply due to my age, I would happily walk straight into a lawyers office immediately.

[@CobisTaba]

@@richardpeace3292 the reasoning here is that the age distribution in the company stays the same. Effectively it discriminates less as you fire aqual percentage in all age brackets. You cannot make individual firing decisions based on age.

[@richardpeace3292]

@@CobisTaba good luck in court to whoever practices that philosophy… my prediction is that it will be very costly for them.

[@CobisTaba]

@@richardpeace3292 this is the law for ages now and enforced by government and courts… Good luck to anyone not following the government rule’s exactly

[@SlimTortoise]

When I started a job I always worked with the mind set that it would not last and that the company would not care about me, after 6 jobs none lasting more than 6 years I found I could retire at 47 because I had enough money, this was because I always invested and saved to get me through when the company let me down, some did some did not. 🙂

[@MichelleHell]

Investing is a scam

[@enrique6335]

I've been at my current job for almost 5 years now. Always receiving praise, are deemed essential, have been in both earlier and later than what I'm supposed to and yet there haven't been any significant raises and there's not really any chance for me to earn more unless I get a Masters degree. I've finally reached a breaking point and are looking to leave before December. The only thing the work is good now is access to free or discounted continuing education.

[@phantomvox]

This is very interesting because Im in the same situation. Ive been working for a company for 27 years. This year my responsibilities are going to be transferred to another location and the guy in charge of the new location is my boss now. So Im currently taking certs to leave my job and start a new career in other industry because I dont want to wait for the kick on my butt.

[@akj3344]

This is literally the story of my company. We use old ass software and my seniors only know how to work it. Even thought they are software developer, they chose not to keep up with industry. I am 100% certain that they are gonna end up like this person.

[@dekippiesip]

We also have lots of dinosaurs like that. Even when I as a junior developer suggest to do things differently, this old guard just resists it and insist on doing it the old way. I do it anyway, but it would help if they at least encouraged me. Feels like pulling a dead horse at times tbh. I'd say they are partially to blame too. You can't expect to work in a fast changing industry like IT and never learn new tools or improve processes. I just don't understand that mentality, how don't you just get bored tf out after all this time?

[@VentiVonOsterreich]

I will whistleblow in sheer detail all the things my company and its client did to my mental health

[@Defaulted123]

Don't victimize your self but rise.

[@jayo3074]

I still remember the day I got made redundant. I was brought into the meeting room. It was humuliating because its seen as a reflection of your performance or character and it was dehumanizing because they treated you like you are not worth anything to them.

[@aldozampatti]

Funny that you post this video today. I've accepted an offer to work on something I've never worked before. After 20yrs of experience on the current technology I manage consultants for today, and after 12yrs on the same company that did a LOT for me, I'm taking this step almost exclusively for the reasons you describe in this video. I'm barely getting a comp increase (I have a pretty good one) but at 42 years old I think I'm at a point on where I can gain a lot while still have tons of energy and drive and I'm willing to drive into the unknown.

[@robmckee5295]

Subscribed. I still have my job and have been with my organization for decades. But it's apparent that the culture no longer values loyalty. So my first step in aligning with reality is subscribing to the channel.

[@masterdementer]

My father used to work as a mechanic in workshop which specialised in maintanence and repair of equipments. One of his co workers framed him in some sort of trouble and got him fired. He went away and got a new job. Years later (about 10-15 years) he went there as a client to get some mining equipments. That guy was still working there in the same job. While my dad went through several companies and was managing 3 entire mining sites at that time as a maintenance superintendent. So i have learned from him that when I start work I'm gonna switch companies about every 4-5 years. Unless it's really good that gives adequate compensation.

[@travis8229]

A lesson I learned the hard way, don't be loyal to an 8 to 5 Monday-Friday that doesn't reward you, otherwise you're just wasting your time. I spent way too much time at a job like this and it did affect my life for the worse, literally my life was just a routine, wakeup-work- exercise-read-go to bed repeat, everyday for nearly 20 years!

[@nrajasuba6367]

23 Years same company not because of loyalty. I keep myself updated and remain a top performer. Seen multiple rounds of layoffs happening in the company. I have interviewed with many companies and have been selected by most. But stayed with current one for better work life balance…

[@tohnic441]

Truly, you don't know what you don't know if you don't test the market. I used to think I was a decent engineer, but after several failed interviews I was mortified with how much I actually don't know. Just like Bob, I had not bothered to upskill myself, instead I merely became super efficient with my work. I took the leap of faith and found another company that was willing to take me in despite me having 0 experience with their tech stack, just so I can broaden my skillset

[@mrrootytooty5797]

Keep doing what you've always done, keep getting what you've always got.

[@Bluesnakes333]

I’m not loyal to companies. I’m loyal to people. Family or not, I’m loyal to those I trust. Know who to trust and you’ll always be successful.

[@wendiannejohnson399]

I had same experience as Bob...... Now I have position in Automotive Factory 🏭. I'm not getting comfortable. Working faster towards Entrepreneurship and becoming a Business Owner. This motivated me to employ myself and not set my fate in another stranger hands.

[@TheRoland444]

Relationships between employer and employee are strictly transactional, nothing more or less.

[@terrydebord7878]

This is happening to me , but I am about 8 months from 30 years of Retirement, and I plan to undermine and cause as much trouble as I can.

[@timsmith5133]

I watched middle managers get escorted out the door when i first started working. The lesson i learned is to add value to you by constantly learning new things and constantly meet new people outside my company. Preparing to start my own business soon. - Zoomer

[@michaelkellar438]

Geez... So Similar. I was just let go after 34 years with no cause. Worse part was I just moved from 1 province to another with my job so I could buy a house. No that I have a house, I have no job.. I have sent out so many applications and not 1 reply yet....

[@TechnoMageB5]

This video makes a good point. I am sort of in this position. After nearly 20 years in "the same company" [actually survived 2 mergers], I'm currently going through a third merger/acquisition and have been notified I'm being laid off by the acquiring company. I'm fortunate I have a nice severance coming, because saving money has been nonexistent due to caring for an autistic child for over 2 decades. Fortunately, I'm not as bad off as the example in the video. I've mostly kept up in my field & have checked my value on the market every 3-4 years, negotiating raises along the way. I'll be hitting the job market soon.

[@Sergio_Loureiro]

I was expecting to see something I don't know, and then you came with a situation very similar to mine. More than 10 years on the same company, using old technologies. They had spoken about updating the whole source tree to more modern frameworks, but wasn't commercially interesting. Only part of it has been migrated to it, and it wasn't on my team nor in the projects I was touching. That team only did it, because they have a costumer which needed things to also run on Apple MacOS. I got frustrated, and luckily, I could find employment on enterprises using more actual stuff. Thank you for mirroring my exact situation! This is so refreshing!

[@eddyjusuf9379]

This is true and it is happening to me right now after 18 years of work 😢 But life must go on, so I am taking some course and bootcamp for Data Analyst