I hate to say it was my first BOSS that gave me the quote for today’s Friday Funny, but it was. She saw how quickly I was amazed and enamoured with corporate life soon after joining my first MegaCorp and wanted me to be cautious in my career.
I definitely bled MegaCorp Blue (Pantone 286) right out of the gates, despite having left college with the Richard Bolles’ Classic What Color Is Your Parachute that warned you to “always keep your parachute packed” and be ready for a Plan B. My boss emphasized that your employer may make you feel valued, important, and special, but when things go wrong in the marketplace, their love for you is only skin deep.
That said, I did enjoy the three companies I worked for throughout my 27 year career and never really felt betrayed by my employers. Even now I keep up with almost all of my former bosses. There isn’t one that I really left on bad terms with.
My advice? Understand that employer/employee love may be a one way street, but “it is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.”
Image Credit: MrFireStation.com
MrFireStation 
Good reminder and something that is sad but true. Funny how it was your first boss to tell you that! 🙂
Great point about keeping a plan b ready at all times. I’ve been fortunate to spend my ten year career so far with only one employer (multiple departments though) and hope the love continues to be a two way street.
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Obviously, the better the worker/leader you are, the greater the love grows, but even then companies often just want to make some changes now & then.
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It’s certainly a fine line and you don’t want to find out the hard way. Keep your network strong,relationships fresh and in good standing. Those things will serve you well throughout life.
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Yes – people know who’s good (and loyal) when you are looking for your next job. Those people find new roles fast.
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There are very few companies where this isn’t true. It is important to remember that no matter how much you like your job or how much you believe they like and value you, things can change quickly and it doesn’t need to be for “fair” reasons.
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I had a friend who worked for a company where management changed suddenly. The new boss said “I don’t want this to feel like a family, but instead a team. The difference is you can get CUT from the team.”
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So true. Don’t fall in love with the employer but definitely keep close ties to coworkers. I’m still in contact with coworkers from all my past jobs and even continued the tradition of birthday lunches with one (who is now retired in his 60s) from my first job out of college, 17 years ago!
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The relationships you make and the money you bank are all that goes with you, that’s for sure.
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Agreed. I wish I knew that earlier.
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Uh oh … Sounds like you got blindsided?
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Yup, well it’s not too late right now. I just have steer myself towards the right direction and hence my 1880 plan towards FI
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The sooner you realize it’s all business, the sooner you learn not to feel disappointed. You can have great relationships at work but an employer won’t do things out of love, friendship or loyalty.
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Very well put. Business is business.
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I think there is a difference between the “business” and your manager. The business has one function that is to ensure that it is profitable and it returns capital back to its shareholders. On the other hand, good managers will look out for you and groom you to be the best, and it seems like you’ve had a number of those. Of course, there are bad managers who care only about themselves and you want to avoid them like the plague.
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I absolutely agree that your individual manager makes a huge difference. That said, they don’t always have power when a whole department or business is impacted.
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I’m lucky in that the department that I work in at my employer has great managers that look out for their employees. Other departments…not so much. The managers will throw you under the bus.
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Who your manager is makes a HUGE difference in how things feel at work. My first boss that gave me the advice to make sure not to “fall in love with your company” was awesome to work for and invested a lot in me. As you point out, others aren’t so caring. Thanks for the comment!
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Thanks for the reminder! I had a bit of a reality check myself this year.
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Uh oh. Sounds like your relationship with your company was put to the test?
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I also work for a Minnesota based Blue MegaCorp and have plans to be able to FIRE at 50 as well. Wonder if it’s the same? Med device?
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Nope – but I would be happy to connect sometime.
My Blue MegaCorp was Pillsbury. 🙂
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