I’m 24, out of college (with a job thankfully), and agree that work these days is unreliable at best. I do not trust my job or anyone I work for. I have always held a defensive stance as far as this goes and have always managed to remain relatively happy in life.

Unfortunately for other younger people like me, the job market these days makes it almost impossible to live a decent life (thus begging the question, why did I work so hard in college again?). By decent I mean owning a modest home, buying a modest car, etc… we just cant do those things realistically. Those types of purchases require a job that is stable and reliable. What happened to this concept of a job we can count on?

I personally hate looking for work, as do most people. The uncertainty, the stress, and the timing all make it a truly miserable experience.

It’s time we fixed the job market. A more reliable job makes for a higher quality of life, happier people, less crime, more profit for businesses and workers, etc etc. Common people we can do this… its not hard. Just learn to realize, as other countries have, we are all in this world together….. there is no hurry in life.

I know I’m a little late in responding to this one, but just now stumbled across this blog and love it!

I am 26 and worked for a small company for three years before getting my MBA, and started about 9 months ago at a large corporation in Texas. I had completed my graduate internship there the summer & fall before and fell in love with the company based on the values that were sold to me & the incredible experiences I was afforded during that time. I turned down offers from some of the top corporations in America to stay where I am, and at the time I had no question about my decision to accept my company’s offer.

But after just four months of being there full time, I watched 70% of my department get laid off & my entire group reorg’ed into another department without so much as an email… weeks passed, then months… and the only mention of the unmentionable that had caused a large number of tenured, intelligent employees to be let go came months after they were long gone in an unsolicited, defensive speech toward us survivors about how terribly managed our former department had been. Ironic, I thought.

When we reviewed case studies in graduate school on how NOT to do things, I thought that no company “actually” handled situations like this so poorly. I was wrong. It was worse. Communication of layoffs & gossip about more to come trickled down from numerous avenues, none of which should have been communicating such important pieces of information, thus creating additional lies to pile on top of the already terrible news. And those who should have been communicating were nowhere to be found. I grew frustrated and then angry I had been duped by this so-called great company who couldn’t seem to do so much as put together a few lines of text announcing the changes – come on Gen X & Baby Boomers – we know you know how to type… or at least your admin does.

I went from working 45 hours a week to 70 and I am actively keeping my eyes open for my next chance to be “disloyal.” I never thought I would leave a company so fast, especially one I truly loved so much – and in another part of the company possibly still would – but after a little more than a year, I have quickly found I would rather take a huge pay cut in salary than take a cut in my self-respect, quality of life and knowledge that there has to be, somewhere out there, a company who could get it right every once in blue moon.

Unfortunately, I’m not sure that the latter is true, which is also likely the reason that once Gen Y gets completely fed-up with the system as it is, the influx of start-ups will grow at an even more rapid pace than it has in the past, and a line will be drawn in the sand on how companies do business & communicate with their people.

Wow, this post is exactly how I feel! Times are much different for us than they were for older people. My grandfather worked in the corpote work for 35 years and was never laid off. So of course he was loyal. Bu I’ve been lied to by management at every company I’ve worked for out of college. I am a 27 year old sales rep who was laid off a little over a year ago. The company preached loyalty but as soon as their profits were down, they cut jobs. And I was actually making my quota! I’m at a good company now but I know that as soon as leadership changes or profits are down, my job could be gone in a flash regardless of my performance. But somehow I am the one who is “disloyal.” My messsage to other young people is that you don’t owe corporations anything. Once I realized this I became much happier because I began to focus more on the real things in life that are important.

You only go around once, enjoy the ride. Don’t work with or for a**holes!

Its interesting to note the concept of ‘loyalty’ is quite different between companies in the US and say in the UK. I recently started working with a UK company, owned, operated and staff almost exclusively with gen Yers. The company was started by two friends in their 20s, and staffed by college mates and their friends. Today its a multi-million dollar enterprise with over 60 gen Yers in entry, mid and exec level positions.

For them, loyalty (as well as sound fiscal policy) goes a long way in determining how to reward and advance employees. While the general trend for gen Yers in the US may be ‘loyalty unto thyself,’ loyalty as a concept should be discarded wholesale. Especially if you find yourself somewhere you’d like to stay for a minute.

I think the lesson here is not so much loyalty vs. disloyalty, but rather, as one commenter put it, getting the most out of any and every environment you may find yourself. Building a portfolio of experience and relationships that will help you in the future.

I think that the traditional rules of employment no longer apply to today’s job market. Gen Yers need to pay deference to the lessons of the past, but be prepared to learn lessons that no one has experienced to date.

As a Gen X’er, I’m glad to see the “younger” ones wising up to the realities of the economy. I too have seen some shameless debacles of mismanagement. Say it with me everyone- “F**k corporate America!” Let the suits reap what they have sown.

Our generation also knows there are thousands of 100K jobs posted across the Web and they are good jobs. They are everywhere -

http://www.realmatch.com
http://www.monster.com
http://www.simplyhired.com

I like having a new job every couple years!

You can’t give any loyalty to an organization that seeks to make a profit. To profit-driven people and organizations, employees are an ingredient that makes money. If a better ingredient comes along, or you begin to cost too much…goodbye!

My advice to my peers is that you don’t have to do what everyone else is doing. Our country and economy is large enough for you to find a niche. For me, it has been working in nonprofits and institutions of higher learning. I can have some level of loyalty, and my salary is much more stable.

Young people also need to organize and unionize if they want any respect to be paid.

Totally true. Loyalty is a 2-way street. We are responsible for our own welfare.

great post nadira. there’s a great book by seth godin called the dip that echoes your sentiments.

gen y’ers are learning how to identify the curves of work and life more than ever before.

what is viewed as disloyalty by some – is viewed as wisdom by others.

I’m a Gen Yer who, like many, are on contract which is expiring in a number of days. i performed well, received several awards, a verbal offer, and then a hiring freeze. “Sorry, I know we’ve been planning to bring you in for the last three months and you haven’t looked for a job, but your position was eliminated”. No, we don’t hold loyalty to any place. We are a group who has reverted back to being nomadic just to survive. How sad, we have now reached devolution.

Great post. That was quite articulate of you. I like this phrase too: “Perhaps because it’s more true than ever that we want to reach our own personal best — which means having the best personal life possible, too…” This generation wants to slog through on its own way, on its own rules.

I commend you on writing such a lovely and informative article. I am 24, and graduated from college in June 2007. Since graduation I have found myself in and out of the job market holding various temporary positions. I have been told by family and friends not to “job hop” and to remain with a company longer than a year to show “stability” but how can one show stability in an economy that is no longer thriving, companies, downsizing, outsourcing, etc. It’s sad that my college degree has not gotten me far – and it has ben year since graduation.

People entering the workforce need to understand that to corporate America, they are not people, they are ‘headcount’ or ‘talent’. Companies will dispose of this headcount the minute they think they can find something cheaper. Given this reality, you need to treat the company in the same manner. Work hard, gain skills, develop your network, and when there are no longer significant or desirable growth opportunities, move on.

As for the undesirability of some promotions, I absolutely see that where I work. Many if not most of my colleagues question whether they want to go the next level in the company. While the money is better, you essentially become a well-paid slave of the company, complete with an electronic cattle prod in the form of a Blackberry. If you have a family, they are of secondary importance to this month’s results. Is that really the way people want to live, especially when it can all go away with one easy layoff?

Loyalty, in business, has always been a mythological convenience. It is created by the organization to ostensibly bless the “faithful” with a bone. For most it never was more than a bone and for those yet to come even the bone may be lacking.

It is amazing that being on the other side of the world (south africa) i can still relate. I am 27 with 3 employers and looking for the fourth. I was almost downsized during my first year of work post varsity. I will never forget the feeling of waiting. Moving hs help me climb the corporate ladder but it has its price on the family.

I work in the area of organisational transition and change which often results in losing employees. The way this is done can (and does) have a significant affect on both those having to leave and those that remain. I’ve seen companies do this badly and do it very well. In the latter, the affected employees are treated with respect, they are supported and assisted in making the transition to new roles. Those that remain see this and feel ’safe’. In addition for many of our younger generations this evolution of career is a great opportunity and the company may stand to benefit from becoming more magnetic to prospective employees when it does need to fill positions.

With 3 employers in 25 years, I wholeheartedly agree with Bill from Boston, MA. You can’t take the money, the career, or any of that other stuff with you. Friends and family, though, stay with you for life.

It seems that you have it all figured out. Nevermind that by definition your age precludes experience.

Also, ‘ambition is only good as the life it gets you’ works both ways. How much time do you want to spend in the welfare line, living in a studio apartment with your spouse and 2 kids, or starting over from the bottom rung of the ladder at a new company every year?

Loyalty goes a long way and (with the exception of corporate criminals) most companies reward loyalty.

You mistakenly lay the burden on corporate America’s doorstep when society at large shapes the outcome. Companies (in a macro sense), right or wrong, reflect the greater attitude of its societal base. No? If you think big bad companies are quick to fire, try selling stuff to customers – they hire and fire with every purchase (remember … “Vote with your dollars”. And by the way, gen Yer’s are lazy and will pay the price for their parents shortcomings.

Totally agree with this article. I’m 27 and have had 3 employers thus far. My first job out of college – I got laid off within 1 year ! Moving around keeps you current with the market and is a smart thing to do if you want to climb the ladder. Good luck all!

Thank you. I’m so glad I’m not the only Yer who feels this way.

Loyalty in business is extinct as far as I can see.

fully agree.
It is the large corporations who have set the trend to disloyalty by mass lay-off’s, off-shoring and out-sourcing, constant reorganizations, etc. all too line the pockets of fatly payed executives even more.
Why wonder what the reasons are for massively dissatisfied and disloyal customers if you first create a generation of ddisillusioned, dissatisfied, and frustrated employees?

I agree. As a Boomer (57), I learned quite a while ago that loyalty was dead when I was laid off from a company that had been sold. I don’t blame Gen Yers or Xers for feeling disloyal and looking out only for themselves. (They may have taken it too far, but that’s for history to judge). As for me, I decided about 10 years ago to go into business for myself so I could never be laid off again. I’ve never regretted it. Corporate America has only itself to blame.

Some advice from someone who has only 2 employers in the past 26 years.

Loyalty to anyone other than true friends or family is misplaced.

A business is only going to look at their bottom line. Coworkers and managers are looking out for their own. You need to manage your own bottom line and career, no one else is going to do it for you.

A great article… I’m ~21, and I’m so tired of hearing about how “lucky” I am to have a job… I do the same work as someone earning 75K a year working as a “business analyst” … though I am only a data clerk. Doesn’t seem so fair to me? So BET YOUR BOTTOM that I am hunting around for new jobs.

Loyalty is bliss, so companies better start sharing the green with us Y-ers. We’re the ones bringing in the fresh ideas, anyway.

You are so right.

I was born into the wrong generation.

To the article I say: Amen!

You do realize that the older generation (as a class) can NEVER admit you’re right, though? To do so would lead to an implosion of their sense of self-identity that would rival a toddler’s temper tantrums.

This article tells it, like it is! I’m only 24yrs old and in my professional career: two companies which I was employed at relocated oversees. Leaving me jobless. At another my so called “boss/ CEO” was arrested for violating state laws. Leaving me jobless and interograted by the police. I finally found a company who helped reach my goal of becoming the leader in the company. But for that to happen, my leader had to be fired and my mentor was replaced four times in one year. Finally I became an entrepreneur. I knew I could trust anyone in corporate America!

Well, I heart you, too….

Could you check this …sp or grammar in sentence in line.

Don

Overall, good, informative, interesting article, though. And yes, I know I can google “genYer” to find out more, LOL.

p.s. you are very pretty.

The first thing I was interested in was your age, since this is such a first person experience based, age sensitve article, but when I looked at “about this author, it wasn’t there. I am not in corportate America, and I am older, (46), so I don’t exactly know what a GenYer is. More explanation, and your place in that class would have been interesting to know.

I’m a Gen Xer, but this column is spot on for my sentiment too. Corporate Babyboomers are clueless rats clambering on an endless wheel thinking it’s a ladder to the promised land. They can’t see they’re in a cage and don’t understand that Xs & Ys can see it. Anyone climbing on the rat-wheel is by definition unsuccessful in life. Yet they want us to become as equally unsuccessful as they are, as if that would somehow validate their own pointless “career”. Believing corporate & political propoganda, they’re shockingly out of touch with reality…

I can´t understand how somebody could be “loyal” to an organization whose main objective is to make a profit…
The only benefit of being loyal, in my experience, are promotions, but how long would you like to work at a company that promotes people based on “loyalty”?

You’re not “off” at all. Right on the money, in my opinion. Though I wouldn’t qualify as a Gen Yer, I spent my twenties and first part of my thirties dutifully spinning my wheels in a dot com that became increasingly more corporate. Ultimately, it became so corporate that talented, dedicated colleagues…who proved their loyalty time and again…found their inputs ignored, their creativity squashed, and their hard work overlooked. In my experience, loyalty, dedication, passion and hard work are often praised in corporate America, but they are not rewarded. They are exploited.

So my advice is, don’t choose your job over your life…do your job, and do it well, but remember it’s a job. Focus on living and loving well. Your career is just one slice of the big picture pie.

I agree with this article. I’ve watched family members work years with a company and not go anywhere. That doesn’t put a good impression on me. Why should I work half my life for a company that doesn’t recognize me? In my opinion work is only a small fraction of life. We should concentrate more on life such as family that will always be there for you whether your high in the skies or at the bottom of the ocean. Enjoy life and if you can find a job that you like and you are content then AWESOME, but if you can’t don’t worry about it.

There are alot of organizations that fit your description but there are also some very good ones as well, so research their track record before applying. I got lucky on my 4th try and have been there 26 years (Obviously, I am not a Gen Yer).

As for job hopping, I look at hundreds of resumes every year. I start by making two piles. One has resumes that describe a record of progressive achievement within one organization (promotion, increased responsibility, territory, certification, recognition, etc) and the other is the job hopper pile. The 2nd pile is always 5-10 bigger than the 1st, generally made up of those who move from job to job without advancement. If that describes you, consider that older job applicants tend to experience age discrimination in hiring. Job hopping will become more difficult as you get older and you could find yourself in a downward spiral.

Make your mark in any job before moving on and you’ll increase your market value. if things aren’t going well in your current job, avoid the impulse to leave. Figure out how to succeed if you can.

Also, watch for companies that have massive hiring campaigns as they often have massive employee jettison campaigns as well.

You want an organization that will help you develop your potential and find the best fit for you over time so you can succeed. Many companies will blow you out the door quickly if you are struggling, a few others will have an organized effort to rotate employees to various functions to understand the whole organization better.

Ask about development opportunities in the interview and the employer will get the message that you are looking for more than “just a job”.

By the way, I agree totally with not waiting to enjoy extended travel or adventure opportunities while you are young. My wife and I took a cumulative year off over 5 years at mid-career for foreign travel. We were broke for a long time but never regretted it.

I hear ya. When I saw my mom be fired because her boss’ mistress didn’t like her, then see her laid off again a few jobs down the road. Then see my aunt be laid off as well because the company decided to move the manufacturing to mexico…I knew when I got older, there is no such thing as Loyalty in Corporate America.

I live by the motto “No matter what corporation, business, or organization you work for, they all are in the Same business. That is the business of making money no matter how they do it.”

So I just try to stay a few plays ahead of Corp America.

I hate to break it to you, but Yers are disloyal, and it is not because they are smart. It is because they are victims. Like an abused child they are warped by their circumstances.

Yers are the victims of generation X, the generation that made selfishness a high art and considered loyalty a liability. To Xers freedom was/is everything and money the measure of one’s worth. Sell out a friend for a few dollars? No question. Let responsibilities restrict freedom of action? No way.

At some point, as has happened again and again throughout history, things will right themselves and honor will no longer be considered stupid. Then Xers and Yers will be seen as quaint, tragic curiosities, like eugenicists. In the meanwhile I won’t begrudge you your self absorption and self justification. You should have some happiness in your unfortunate lives.

I am just barely an Xer but I will say that quality worker are rarer and rarer. As a manager of Yers I will say that the work ethic has gone done considerably. Whenever I see people slacking off or being lazy or unmotivated, I just thank them. Hardwork and proper self-marketing have made getting and keeping a job–not to mention–moving up very easy for me my whole work life. Yers are often rude, simply an HR nightmare, and don’t respect their superiors. Their fun, don’t get me wrong, and I love to clown around too, but I know how to relate to those above me and have some idea on how to keep my job safe. I am just finding that the level of work ethic has gone down. This will, of course, reducing job stability. It is not so that companies aren’t loyal. Believe me, companies aren’t letting quality workers go, if fact, we are complaining that there aren’t enough quality people out there. This is in spite of having an overflowing number of resumes.

I won’t complain because the general laziness and lack of seriousness that I see the Yers have for their job makes it easier to keep mine.

You bring up a great point in that my generation (Gen Y) has come to the realization early that we are not going to be supported by anyone or anybody. Sure there are exceptions to the rule; however, in case after case we can see that our employers are looking out for themselves and themselves only. I myself have had to eliminate dozens of senior managers and tenured employees merely to improve our bottom line by half a percent, so I have keen insight into this area. I have heard that loyalty comment more than once as well I find it hollow. Loyalty is a two way street and with all that is occurring now with tribulation in the business environment in general one can easily understand why we are uncomfortable and “disloyal”. If a company and management want loyalty then they should devote the time to educate, direct and reward those who do the heavy lifting and support their initiatives. If you don’t, I see no reason to be “loyal” either!

Agreed. Nobody should look at their chair by their desk and think to themselves “I hope they keep this seat (position) here for me…”. Do something healthy instead: look at that chair and say to yourself: “if I’m in this seat 2 years from now, then maybe, shame on me!” Don’t take this as incite to leave gainful employment or even a great company (because they are still out there), Rather, to look at your career as the key stakeholder. When you work for someone some place else, you are dependent on them for many things. So, don’t leave it to them define you as a professional and your entire career for you. Too many of us just let that happen… and then, when we are spit out by the same machinery that took us in, we are left disoriented, lost and without a sense of professional identity.

I couldn’t have said it better.
You’re absolutely right.
I’m a generation Xer myself (born in 1971) but I totally agree with your statement, “loyalty is a 2 way street”.
And a job is only as good as the quality of life you get from it.
I practice what is now known as mercenary management…meaning I only stay at a company for 2 or 3 years…and I’m always on the lookout for something better. Building a life-long career at a company is not an option. To those Xers and Yers out there, being your own boss should be your ultimate goal in life. Those who have achieved it will agree…the quality of life in this case is improved 1000-fold.

Great article!

I couldn’t agree more! Thanks for saying it loud and proud!

You’re completely right. There is no reason to be loyal to a company that would turn you out on the street in two minutes to save a buck and make earnings.

My company is paternalistic and has a large proportion of long-time employees, so most of my coworkers do not understand this thinking at all.

I really like where I am, but I have to be prepared for the realities of the corporate world. Trust me, someone my age (early 30s) is constantly networking in preparation for their next move, whether voluntary or involuntary.

Good article. As a Gen Yer I agree that loyalty is a two-way street and that part of the reason Gen Yers show no loyalty to corporations is that corporations haven’t been returning the favor these days. I would be careful in suggesting that those who don’t job hop or travel the world while they’re young are exhibiting “stupidity”. My observation which seems to be confirmed by recent statistics is that Gen Yers are delaying stereotypical “adult” milestones such as marriage, buying a house, having children, etc. until later in life than previous generations for better or for worse. It becomes more and more difficult to job hop when you’re dependent on a job to pay the mortgage, provide health insurance, put food on the table and provide for your retirement.

You are spot on with the analysis. We just had a senior manager in my company let go – All the employees got the news after he was let go and the message was so terse that everyone was gaping to find the answer “Why?” and for the last two weeks no answer was given and we will probably never know. This kind of behavior only gives us more incentives to look for other opportunities before the same thing happens to us!

I’m a boomer and have lived the treachery of corprate downsizing and closing more than I care to remember. I have to agree with you and say I’m glad someone learned from our pain. Buisness deserves no loyalty or sympathy if they fall on hard times. They deserve no more than they give.

I have heard some of my bosses, and even family members tell me we are the “ME” generation. I ask them, why is that so shocking? We are likely to have no social security, we are a generation surrounded in debt and no one is going to give us hand outs. Loyalty to a business or company is only as deep as the loyalty for your bosses and co-workers.

Conversely, there are plenty of GenYers that have this sense of entitlement that is very destructive for the perception of our age group. Some of that “bigger is better” mentality is strongly carried by the upper 20s crowd which is frustrating to say the least.

As this pertains to the article?
Loyalty and dedication to a job for most our age group is about 2 things:
MONEY and the PEOPLE who we work close with. If either one of those is off, so are we to look for another job.

I think your article is right on the money. I’m a baby boomer, and the Yers are doing the right thing by not wallowing around going nowhere.

Stated so perfectly I couldn’t add another word!

As a Yer who just survived his first round of layoffs, I’ve realized you just have to loyal to yourself and what is best for you. Afterall, people who were laid off worked just as hard as I do, where was the company loyalty towards them?

Give me a break! “a Yer might tell you, and those animals and monuments may not exist when you finally make the time to see them.” That is if aliens come from afar and scoop them up. And then you write “corporate America often appears just as scary and unstable (and untrustworthy) as the world at large, if not more so”. Well then you rocket scientist, who will employ you? Are you going to work for the government? Just in case you were not aware, government uses tax revenue from corporations and individuals. Layoff have happened throughout corporate history. This is not the first cycle and will not be the last. Maybe what the Yer that wrote the article needs to do is a little homework on capitalism. Yes it is the dirty “C” word that makes the world go round…
Good luck.

I have worked in the IT industry for 10 years in Ohio for many different top corporations (auto, accounting, steel, & foods). They all practice fear and intimidation strategies, and appear to like maintaining a rotating-door policy via downsizing or making your life so miserable that you leave on your own. At all companies, I left own my own when things became intolerable–tired of being scared of uncertainty and intimated/scared. We live in a country that promotes freedom–speech, equality, pursuit of happiness, ect…. However, from the time begin attending school, we’re forced to go to school where the environments are formal and engulfed in rules and policies that guide us on what we can or cannot do–the perfect training ground for our future jobs in corporate America. As everyone knows, one loses many rights when they become an employee of a company–capitalism in its ugliest form superseding civil liberties. I even had an HR director tell me I have no rights in corporate America–her off-the-cuff response to my questioning of my employer’s, at the time, efforts to have me help identify employees with “negative attitudes”…they believed these types of employees are opinion setters who can negatively influence others. My recommendation, to be short, is to set loyalty to a company aside, unless you own it or have a considerable equity share in it, and focus on your loyalty to yourself and family, if you have a family. Moreover, due to most company’s elimination of pension plans ect…, 401k is self-managed retirment investments are all we have…we can easily roll them over as we move from one employer to another. My final advice–surround yourself with people and an environment that brings out the best in you. Your life is short…don’t waste a second on a company or people who intentionally want to make you unhappy. For me, at my funeral I hope the hell nobody says, “He was a loyal employee and a good worker.” Morgan Jones from Ohio

You have spoken with courage and candour. You should add that as coporations cover their back, employees should do the same. That is build up savings for six months, keep your resume fresh, network constantly, kep ear to the ground about the health of the company. Many employees join companies wihout reviewing the companies balance sheet or asking questions about their financial performance. Don’t forget the top people who speak of “loyalty and people as assets” in company meetings always take care of themselves first. Have you looked at Executive compensation of companies who are not making money and are laying off people.

This just reaffirms the reasons why I am self employed.

Right on. I have told my daughter (the baby boomlet gen) the same things. Loyalty is something you owe only to people who share your DNA with.
I have read various comments about gen-Xers from Human resource people and online about them lacking loyalty and ambition. I think to myself that those guys just don’t get it. After watching what those big companies did to their parents, they would have to be patsies to believe in loyalty to an employer. Yeah get ambitious, knock yourself out for the company, and miss your kid’s childhood, only to get sent to the trash later on.
some people actually learn from the past.
Employers can expect loyalty when they start giving it again to employees.

One of your best posts. And it applies to everyone, including this over-the-hill boomer. As I move on to a new opportunity at a pay raise unfathomable to my current employer, I regret only leaving a few talented and hard-working colleagues to still more work and frustration.

I agree. Loyalty given equals loyalty received. For the most part corporate America has proven to Gen Y that when the chips are down the copmany has no loyalty. Corporate America continuously speaks of loyalty to the shareholder, but little of loyalty to those it employs.

Amen!! My father worked in the engineering industry for Kodak for 30+ years only to be outed 1 year before he received his full pension. Carrying on the corporate engineering legacy, I realize that the only loyalty demonstrated by corporate America is to the stock holders. When once there was a pension, there is now only 401k matching(if you’re lucky). In the 4 years since I’ve left college(currently 25yo), I’ve already moved between two of the largest players in the computer hardware industry. And here once again, I’m at the brink of moving on. Why? Simply because I can make more money, be in a better position, live in the location of the country I want to live in, and diversify my experience. To state it frankly, f*** corporate America, I’m working for ME not for the stock holders. If loyalty is expected from the worker, then loyalty should be expected from the corporation. Glad to see somebody finally put this in writing. Great article!

I couldn’t agree more with this article. I struggled for a while with older family and friends questioning me for changing jobs twice in one year. I knew I was doing the right thing for not being loyal to a sinking ship and all their looks and comments stopped when I got out of banking and the big banks all tanked 3 weeks later. I would love to spend 30 years at one company, but corporate America won’t promise tomorrow.

im not a “y” im 48 probably the last of the boomers…but i totally get what you are saying and totally agree…your perception is spot on

Amen. I’m tired of hearing the very character of Gen X and Y’ers called into question because we tend to switch companies more often than members our parents or grandparents’ generations.

The elder generations are the very ones that destroyed any sense of trust or loyalty in the workplace. They are the ones that preached profits first at the expense of their employees. Any kid that grew up watching the news in the days of Chainsaw Al and Neutron Jack learned a valuable lesson. So guess what? If you’re clearly looking out for yourself first, then so are we!

AMEN!

Nadira, I completely agree. So many people of GenX/Y were sold on the 1980s myth that we could all be Gordon Geckos, or that greed was good. It is good if you are the first one to figure an idea, or be a trailblazer. However, if the idea is good enough, it typically tends to attract herds of people. In the business world, we refer to it as barriers to entry. The first person to have thought of desktop applications (Gates), bringing the Wall Street Journal to desktops (Bloomberg), Mortgage Brokers in the 1980s, Hedge Fund managers in 1992, and the like have become billionares. The guys after them have a much more difficult time getting in the industry, and to your point, sacrifice much of their personal life to obtain, and retain the C-suite. While it is not impossible by any means, it requires more and more sacrifice as the entry barriers continue to rise.

Furthermore, I would take the job-hopping of GenX/Y to a financial level. So many people say buy assets at any level because they will always go up, forever and ever amen. What happens if you bough Enron in 1999, or Bear Stearns last March 2006. Those companies were considered the very best! Bulletproof. If you did, you would be wiped out! What happens if these companies were in your 401K, where an investor’s lifetime work earnings are destroyed? As many people criticize the GenX/Y for being disloyal for job hopping, I will gladly accept criticism for disloyal trading of buying low and selling high. Ann Rand called trading (whether job hopping or asset based) the most honorable thing a person can do.

Spot on!

Funny timing for this article. I just got a call from my boss yesterday that I was safe. The next call was from a co-worker that wasn’t. I deal with this two or three times a year for the last 8 years. I think it’s safe to say I live in pertinent fear. Now I just wonder did I make it through round 2 or 3?

How about this one…before going to our annual team-building lunch at a restaurant/video game establishment, we were herded into the conference room and told that our branch was closed and that some of us would have jobs at other locations, but others wouldn’t. Then, hand to God, “Let’s try to have fun today, anyway!” When management got there they found the entire staff bellying up to the bar!

RIGHT ON! You’ve described our mindset perfectly. I took a job in a Fortune 500 company with every intention of doing whatever it took to retire after a long and lucrative career, but after seeing how poorly people are treated I’m coming to the point of view you’ve described. Nice to know I’m not alone…

“Never screw yourself for your company, because they’ll never screw themselves” for you is advice I received early in my work life.

I always give 110% btw – but it is because I enjoy what I do and that by delivering “wow!” results it makes me a better candidate for the next job!

Staying at a single company is dangerous (skills stagnate) and thinking that your company will always be there is just plain stupid (look at the top 50 companies from 50yrs ago, a good number of ‘em aren’t around today folks…).

I totally agree with you on this one. As a 28 year old who in on his fourth job in 5 years, I have seen the layoffs come and go. Fortunately, I have always been out the door and on to the next job before being laid off, but the anxiety is real. What really annoys me is the difficulty with having to be employed with a company for six months to one year before becoming eligible for its 401K program. I lasted two and a half years at my first job and it was really nice to see my 401K grow over the last one and a half, but once I left I had to wait again. I am now in a job where I have great teachers but less-than-glamorous and unfulfillng work. Although the paycheck is nice, I am already thinking about the next move after only ten months. What does this say about me?

You are right on the money. Unfortunately this is not our “parents” world any longer, committing ourselves with blind loyalty to climb the corporate ladder only to realize that the top rung of the ladder has snapped and we plummet. There are no guarantees in life. This day and age, with the economy and the world in such unrest the only thing we can really do is work hard and look after number one, yourself. Gen-yers are smart, talent and have a lot to offer and when you watch some who has given 25 years of their life be let go just shows you that at the end of the day it is a business and if the numbers don’t work out and the bottom line reached then you can easily be “removed” to make the numbers more palatable. So why not job jump? If you bring something to the table it can increase your position and salary much quicker than if you just sit with your head down quietly and work hard and hope you aren’t paged to H.R. during the next round of lay offs. It is loyalty…to you, the only thing that truly matters. Great article, you hit the nail on the head.

I think you’re absolutely right. My husband is a military man, and we were at his uncle’s home over Mother’s Day weekend, and the subject of him staying in the military (my husband might be a lifer if I weren’t in the picture, but I am, so he’s not. It’s a dealbreaker).

In the course of conversation, Uncle asked, “Well, why WOULDN’T you want to be in the same job for 30 years? Wouldn’t you want to have the same job for 30 years?” As a person from the older generation, he couldn’t understand my position, but the topic of this article points to exactly what I was feeling when he asked me that.

There are no guarantees for us, I feel. The resources, the cheap homes, the low gas prices, and the opportunities are drying/dried up. I want to live. If I put in 30 years at a place, there’s no promise of me getting any kind of perk other than having wasted 1/3 of my life (if I’m lucky) in a place that I’ll probably have grown to hate by that time.

No, thanks.