Absolute job security is a myth. I was originally going to write about freelancing and the perception of security that came with full-time but then I realized there is no absolute job security.
One story of being fired:
One of my friends is working as a sales rep. at a firm. Recently, one of her co-workers got fired. She hated the girl so she is not exactly crying about it. But here’s why the girl got fired: The managers found out that she went to job interviews during work hours. Something that should be frowned upon? Yes. Something that should get you fired? I am not so sure. Depends on whose viewpoint you are considering.
If you are the employer, you would be pissed. You’d be right to be. But then again, the work starts at 9 and doesn’t end before 6.30, and that is the earliest they can leave the firm. So if you really wanted another job, how would you be able to secure interviews after that? You couldn’t. It may look like you are betraying your boss’s trust, but then again, who doesn’t spend at least a fraction of their office time looking for distractions or other job opportunites online?
My friend freaked out because she did that too. In fact, the firm is small and the only people who haven’t been going to interviews were the managers. Job loyalty? You bet ya. They also happen to be the owners. Luckily, they didn’t take the fired girl’s word for granted and try to investigate everyone else. Maybe they really despised the girl. Hey, she had the reputation for being a difficulty bitch.
We can debate about whether she should have been warned or that they were right about letting her go. But hey, the issue here is that she wasn’t freelancing.
Another story of being fired:
Remember Christian Slater? Well, there is a chance you heard of him or saw a movie with him in it if you are slightly into movies. He has been in Robin Hood Prince of Thieves, Heathers, Untamed Heart, Bed of Roses, Broken Arrow, True Romance, Windtalkers, Basil…
Well, he has quite a CV. You can always check out my Christian Slater post if you want more info on the guy. The point is, he is a fairly well-known actor with an impressive resume. But before I could check out his TV show My Own Worst Enemy, it was cancelled. Of course this didn’t stop me from seeing it. But then Christian was back in another TV show called The Forgotten. Great show, except it seems like it won’t see a 2nd season. So you might be a famous actor who is hardly ever out of work, but you still depend on the “boss”-the boss being the network executives. Surely, Christian will survive. But it doesn’t change the fact that his “job” was cancelled.
The Moral of the stories:
Life is full of surprises. Your personality or your CV doesn’t guarantee security. If they want to fire you, they will fire you. If there are monetary obligations, they will pay that and then fire you.
No, I am not trying to bring you down. But we must be realistic. We can’t blindly assume our job is at risk or totally safe. We need a back-up plan. We need to be prepared. How? Networking. By getting well with our bosses. Not pissing off the ex-boss, even if we hate them. By never isolating yourself from the industry. By never letting your job to define you. If you are writer, sure- let that define you. It is a craft. Just don’t take your bosses or your jobs for granted. But while being prepared, obviously don’t go over the board like the first girl. That might also end up in you getting sacked.
Other Posts on Job-Hunting and Career Mangement
5 Questions to Answer Before You Apply to an Office Job
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