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This post has moved to my writing/blogging site. Click on the link to read the article: 8 Similarities Between Job Search for Writers and Other Professionals.
Does job security really come with full-time jobs? Is it a myth for freelancers? Or is it a myth for everyone?
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
When it comes to changing careers, your age doesn’t matter
Did you know that:
* Gerard Butler has a law degree?
* Edward Norton is a history graduate?
* Hugh Laurie studied anthropology?
* Jurassic Park author Michael Crichton studied medicine?
It is not just about artists, of course. Most of us find a university degree useful. Let’s face it, even if we don’t like our degree, a BA at least gives us a minor degree of security and gets our parents off our backs. My dad would feel more comfortable if I worked for a corporation rather than for myself. But he can’t fight with my rationalization:
“Dad, I studied Advertising and Business, I have work experience and my CV is pretty OK for a 25-year-old. There is not a better time to follow my dreams (which are about earning a full-time income as a writer ((writing whatever I want)). It is not just my dad who is surprised at my chosen path of career. Even though everybody knew I wrote all the time, they believed I would write in my free time while I got a nice office gig. Well, the idea didn’t sound half-bad until I actually went out and got an office job. I hated it and none of my friends has yet to find a job they enjoyed. They find freelancing scary and most see my educational background irrelevant. Right! Like a background in marketing would never helped a writer.
I just finished writing a series of articles for an online publication. Subject? Business tips. Stuff I learned 5 years ago. But obviously, not everyone wants to or needs to use their major. So as far as relevance go, I am not doing badly. My friends mostly have other stories though:
– I have a friend who graduated from civil engineering and is working for a record company. He also works as a DJ in his part-time. He couldn’t be happier.
– Another friend graduated from biology and although she would rather work in a lab or as an assistant teacher, she is making a decent income, has over a year of experience in sales and she just got a company car. I can’t say her biology training never comes in handy. It is just not used in the way she imagined it.
– Another friend is working as a TA but she miserable with the professor who just prevents any sort of personal or professional progress for her.
– Another civil engineer is working as one and hates his hours and would rather work 9 to 5 for a bank as a consultant for buildings. Yeah, that’s not exactly what he had in mind in college….
Frankly, I could on forever. Why we feel we need to or want to take different paths is a different issue. Maybe it is the subject for another article. But after I met an MBA student with a BA in sociology, I decided it was time to write this article.
How about you? Your friends? Is their work-related to their education? Are they happy or dissatisfied with this? What about the people you’ve recently met?
First, an introduction:
[pro-player width=’530′ height=’253′ type=’video’]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wX3eJRwJqlc[/pro-player]
The New Edition
You see the cover. You turn its back and read:
WARNING: DO NOT READ THIS BOOK UNLESS YOU WANT TO QUIT YOUR JOB
Brilliant. I did want to quit my job when I picked up this book. But yes, it might really and irrevocably encourage and motivate you to quit even if you don’t. You see, this is a business book that tells you everything you want to know if you do not want to be stuck in an office from 9 to 5. And even that 9-5 was an old time ago wasn’t it? Most people I know would consider 9 to 5 a positive change in lifestyle because usually they work at least 2-3 hours more than that, lose a couple more to the commute and if they are really, really “lucky”, they don’t work on Saturdays.
I had a job that required me to be there from 9 to 6.30 (minimum) and put in hours on Saturday as well (from 10 to 5). The pay wasn’t great but OK. It had certain advantages and it wouldn’t look bad on the resume. It was a small firm and the industry was pretty OK with employees dressed in jeans (although my old-fashioned boss would just love it if I wore suits, really). And there is a bonus to working long hours as well as working on Saturdays. It doesn’t leave you much time to spend your salary. So you can save money, which was why I got the job in the first place. But after having worked there for 5.5 months, having read Timothy’s book and being no longer able to resist the dreamer in me, I quit. Truth is, I would have quit without this book eventually but it speeded up the process and I am glad.
The great thing about this book, it informs you in a very entertaining and interesting manner. It is such a page-turner, you would think you were reading a thrilling work of fiction. But just because it is a fun read, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t attack it with bookmarkers and magic markers. Ferris doesn’t just tell his own life story. He talks about all the steps you can take, the resources you can use and everything you should consider. He even talks about insurance for the self-employed. So he literally leaves you no excuses to reconsider your life. If you are actually enoying the office life with the cubicles, supervisors, the bosses, the hours, codes, the culture…..Fine, by all means don’t read it. Or read it and find about a very interesting entrepreneur.
Now, he is not only an entrepreneur. It is not like he quit his day job to set up his own office and be his own boss. He did it, so he could have more time, more money and more freedom. He literally found a way to work as less as possible and work whenever, wherever. Hence the picture of hammock on the cover…And no, Timothy doesn’t just outsource and sits down on his butt (although you can, if you prefer the lazy life). He uses this time and money to do whatever he wants. Such as being a Chinese kickboxing champion. Learning Japanese. Starring in Japanese shows (yes, speaking Japanese), being a Tango champion in Argentina. Traveling the world…He does all this and more. Learns things from scratch and excels at them; while most of us try to figure out a way to balance career with social life, barely finding time and money for the things we always wanted.
He doesn’t offer a get-rich quick scheme. You do have to work. But instead of slaving away, you will be working efficiently towards the life you always dreamed of. Oh, and even if Tim is pretty well off at the moment, he is not loaded like an A-list Hollywood star. But it doesn’t matter. He also shows you the tricks to live like a millionaire even if you aren’t one. And he was 30 when this book was first published.
So, he is one of my idols. In fact, he might be The Idol. If you are a dreamer who wants to really enjoy to path to his/her dreams, Tim is The Man and this is The Book.
