New Challenges

New Challenges       

A few months back, an anonymous person sent me a less than flattering letter filled with critique of my letter and blog writing.  They attacked me personally and brought up, what this pompous dolt thought were valid points as to why; I had no right to speak my mind on anything. 

He accused me of having a ‘succession of jobs’.   BINGO…that was true…..his assumption was incorrect, however, that my employers must feel the same way that he does about me and that was the end result.

Last week, for reasons I will explain later in this blog post, a friend jokingly quipped:  “are there any companies that you haven’t worked for, Bill?”  We laughed but I realized that on the outside, it might well look to a person that two to three years at an employer is ‘job hopping’.

First and foremost, in my industry, two to three years is a good run at the middle management level.  Your direct supervisor moves on and someone replaces him/her and brings in their own team of individuals whom they trust to do things their way.  No big deal; that is a fact of life in every company!

For most of my career, minus my entrepreneurial years, I have worked for larger corporations.  In that environment, you single task, play back slapping politics, many step on the next guy to get up the ladder or you continue to single task in that position for the rest of your time at that company.   If you are lucky enough to advance through your own accomplishments, you become a cog in the machine.  It is tough to get varied experience and work your way up the ladder in a large corporation, everyone focuses on one area or specialty. 

I have worked for four start-up companies over the last 9 years.  

To some, that would sound strange but I realized that to obtain varied experience and have the opportunity to learn all facets of the industry I am in, a start-up company was the single best way to enhance my resume and skill sets.  Being a student of my job, I have been very fortunate to wear many hats with smaller companies just starting out.  Start ups allow you the opportunity to perform many new tasks and take on responsibilities in varied areas; adding to the resume and giving one the experience, hence, increasing your value in the marketplace.

A bit about start up companies;   they start with various amounts of capital.  Some companies measure growth and use that capital wisely but many run out of funds at or around the end of year two.  I am leaving my latest employer for new challenges and an opportunity to be, at least for the time being, closer to home.  Children grow up so quickly and it all comes so fast. 

Over the last 9 years I have written complete training programs, operations manuals, developed new products, facilitated training seminars, coached business partners, designed financial programs, managed operations over large geographic areas and been heavily involved in developing process, procedure and standards leading to growth of several brands. 

Those varied skill sets would have been difficult to experience or hone in a large company as most internal positions, once again, are focused on single tasks.

That experience is now part of who I am and is so much more than I could have ever expected from a singular role in a larger company.  My view of career is that once you stop learning or assume that you know everything about your industry, you become stagnant and cease growing professionally.  Just when you think that you know about everything there is in your field………opportunity comes a knocking!

So, that answers the ‘succession of jobs’ charge and leads me to the purpose of this blog post.

I have advanced in my present position to a level which I had only dreamed of, but, after almost 3 years of weekly travel to over 30 states, I have decided to accept a new, challenging position with, not a start-up, but a well funded, growing corporation where opportunities abound.    It still involves travel but I will be home more often for the kids and wife and that is one very important reason for the change.

New company, new product, new experience and new skill set!  I will once again, become a student of my job and couple that with the many skill sets I already have to add value to yet, another company.  In the past I was always nervous starting a new job; as I age, that nervousness has turned into excitement and anticipation. 

I received an email from an acquaintance and they have worked 22 years at the same company, albeit there have been 3 mergers.  Today, at least in my industry, people do not spend 22 years with the same company.  The gold watch and retirement from one company is rare today but not completely possible. 

I know another individual who has been employed at the same manufacturing company since graduating college and another who has worked at the same restaurant chain since 1980.  There is absolutely nothing wrong with that.  And, there is nothing wrong with the approach that I have taken.

After all some people want to just work and provide for their families; others want to do a bit more.  It is all about goals and motivation but the most important thing is that you are happy with your accomplishments and employment experience.  It is about how you value work after family and what makes you feel as if your life is worthwhile, etc.

A ‘succession of jobs’ is not always what it appears and in my case it has been a strategy to an end.  As I embark on this new journey, I take with me, my skills and experience but I also know that there is much to be learned and an open mind, willingness to absorb and understand new things and focus on listening and adapting is critical to my success.  I will also take with me, my belief that you do things for the right reasons and ‘catch people doing things….RIGHT’. 

The new adventure will most likely not be absent of bumps in the road, but the experience and challenges ahead will be far from mundane!