[TriLUG] Not Linux: Anyone else feeling the pain?

[Steve Litt]

On Friday 21 November 2008 11:32:01 am Robert Dale wrote:
> On Fri, Nov 21, 2008 at 11:21 AM, Steve Litt <slitt at troubleshooters.com> 
wrote:
> > On Friday 21 November 2008 09:44:05 am Robert Dale wrote:
> > An employed person never knows when an even better job will pop up. And
> > you just stated another benefit of putting it in the main list -- if you
> > were employed and on the jobs list, your employer would find out you're
> > "looking" (as if we're not always looking).
>
> This is sort of like checking your stocks everyday and missing the big
> picture.  Really, are you going job hopping every week because some
> job looked 'better'?  Has no one here had a job longer than a couple
> of months?

Hi Robert,

Your post is an ideal conversation starter. You're right -- the big picture is 
how happy you are in your job, and how secure you are in your job. Looking at 
job ads impacts that big picture in many ways:

* Looking at job ads can remind you what a great job you have already.
* Looking at job ads stating salary ranges can help in your next salary 
negotiation.
* If you're anything like I was when my main job was software developer, you 
go on 10 interviews for every job you get and take. That means if you look at 
job ads every day, turn one into an interview every 6 months, it will be 5 
years before you switch.
* No job is perfect. You just might find an even better one.
* You're not married to your job. You never promised til death do you part.
* You better believe your employer is looking, whether or not you are. In good 
times they actively look for people, any of which may later become your 
competitor. In bad times tens or hundreds of people, willing to work for 
peanuts, send unsolicited resumes in hopes of replacing you.
* Your employer isn't married to you. They didn't promise til death do you 
part, and they CERTAINLY didn't promise in sickness or in health, and they 
ABSOLUTELY didn't promise to forake all others.
* You never know when your employer is planning to sell themselves to a chop 
shop who will hire half price Indians, and then they'll order you to train 
the Indians AND promise not to sue if you want your severance package.
* It's hard to get a substantial raise, no matter your productivity or added 
work, unless your employer senses you can get more money elsewhere.

I was a contract programmer 1984-1998. One of my clients lasted 1984-1987, and 
another one lasted 1987-1992, off for a year for the 1993 recession, and then 
1994-1998. I moved 2500 miles away in 1998. That whole time I was constantly 
looking. A lot of that time I had 2nd and 3rd gigs. My clients loved me.

SteveT

Steve Litt
Recession Relief Package
http://www.recession-relief.US