plan, launch, cowabunga, repeat.

The career path for many of us is not what it used to be. Gone are the days of finding a good job and working your way up the corporate ladder for the next 25 years. There are no commemorative Rolex and most of us have to fight for 2 weeks of vacation. In response to this change in corporate culture is a change in the future generations' employment perspectives.  Our view has shifted from a more long term position to what will benefit us the most in the short term. What does the company have to offer us versus what can we offer the company. It's this shift that Seth Godin and Penelope Trunk discuss in the following two articles.

The first was from Seth Godin. I love him. He always speaks his mind and calls out the true motivator behind many issues. Seth talks about how 'Surfing is the New Career'.

"Freelance projects, joint ventures, entrepreneurial startups are all paying off for people who are hooked on this feeling of plan, launch, cowabunga, repeat. Each time you do it, you get to take on a bigger project, a bigger wave. The cost of wiping out is low (if you plan for it) and so you can do it again and again. You don't even have to be solo... now there are teams and corporations that seek out people who want to surf their way through fundraising or product development or customer delight."

I agree, we're adrenaline junkies. We like that high of completing a successful project and getting ready for the next one, but it's hard to do repeatedly unless you have a boss that gets it. I think that many of us get caught under middle management and productivity is easily stifled by red tape and personal agendas. That said, we don't have to let that happen. We can fight to assert ourselves and our projects and prove to the company that your ideas will be profitable. Make them money. You're just going to have to negotiate the politics and get a sponsor to make it happen.

The second article is also very timely. While I've always been trained to think that being considered a 'job hopper' is bad, this article makes me feel as though maybe I'm not insane.

"You can’t job hop if don’t add value each place you go. That’s why job hoppers are usually overachievers on projects they are involved in; they want something good to put on their resume. So from employers’ perspective, this is a good thing. Companies benefit more from having a strong performer for 18 months than a mediocre employee for 20 years. (And don’t tell me people can’t get up to speed fast enough to contribute. Fix that. It’s an outdated model and won’t attract good employees.)"

I would love to stay in a company for 5+ years but to be honest, I don't see that happening. Is this my lack of commitment, mediocre performance and general ambivalence you ask? No, not at all. There is nothing more rewarding than working my butt off with a team to build out a company and products; unfortunately it's not usually a two-sided relationship. You give, they take. Maybe they'll throw you a couple thousand dollars, maybe if you're lucky you'll be promoted but in general, they like to keep you where you are. The only way to really advance and learn new skills is to go elsewhere, otherwise you'll be given more responsibility without fair compensation. I've always liked the reasoning that you must be replaceable or you won't move up (not to be confused with 'bad & replaceable'). If no one else can do your job they're going to keep you there. Don't be too good at what you do.