According to federal labor statistics, the retiring baby-boomer generation spent an average 15-25 years at a single company. The current millennial generation however, only spends 4.4 years at a single company. The speed of change in business is faster than ever. For example, last week a national magazine that started and operated successfully for two decades near my home just fired everyone to relocate on the other side of the country.
There are two people that have the most control over their career, those employees that are superstars and intrapreneurs. A superstar is defined by being the top in their field, specialty, or department; and an intrapreneur is someone who initiates new projects and manages them to completion (an entrepreneur working within the corporate environment). Companies always find a way to hold on to these people no matter how many restructurings take place. I first experienced this when I worked at a computer manufacturer: they invented a new position in a different department to keep me on when layoffs were hitting my department and I had no seniority. Since then I have seen this play out in all kinds of companies – top talent always has a job or are quick to rebound if they lose their job.
Unfortunately, the education system does not teach entrepreneurialism, intrapreneurialism, or what it takes to be a top talent. They mostly focus on: do what you are told and don’t make waves – the advice of career mediocrity. This classic training leads those who follow it to experience those government statistics of 4.4-year stints per company and many instances of unemployment. If that is a future you want to avoid, you need to actively manage your career in the many ways I have written about before: mentorships, certifications, networking, being active in your career associations, along with going after the top companies in growth industries.