For most of us – our job is a critical component of our existence. Without a good reliable source of monthly income, meeting societal expectations towards a family entity would be impossible. In a typical lifespan of 80 years, we rely on a steady job for over 50% of that time – typically between 25 to 65 years of our age. We “expect” to have a good job, after 5-8 years of an expensive college education phase; a necessary prerequisite for a promising career.

After working for over 48 years – I can say that we expect our job to be there, every time we wake up in the morning. Like the sunrise, the seasons, the air we breathe, etc. – we take it for granted and get very comfortable with it; and the regular paychecks that get deposited in our account. This is when; one is unpleasantly shaken from their complacency when their job disappears one day. I am guilty of the biggest mistake that we all make. We get married to our jobs. It becomes a priority, often higher than our personal/family needs. We give it our 200% and in return expect that the job will reciprocate and always be there for us. Like gravity, terra firma, the air we breathe – we expect it to be there.

I have worked in start-ups, small companies, and industry hi-tech leaders. My experiences have taught me the following DOs and DON’Ts that every one of my colleagues and friends should internalize, and start practicing. WHY? Because your job IS JUST A JOB….It should revolve around you and your needs – and not become the center around which your life revolves.

DOs:

  1. Stay on top of the technology space you are in – In every area, advances (new tools, applications) are being made at a very rapid pace, and you can get obsoleted very quickly. I started with FORTRAN and CPM/MPM and ended with Kubernetes and RedHat/Openstack. Just as all professionals – Lawyers, Doctors, Pharmacists, Civil Engineers, etc., have to be re-certified periodically to continue their professional practice – I believe SW coders should self-impose such a practice to stay competitive. Make sure you are at the leading edge of your expertise. Engineering Managers similarly must stay on top of the changing technology/business environments
  2. Update your Resume 1st thing every January – You will be surprised to find significant achievements you may miss/forget if you procrastinate on this. We tend to forget or minimize our victories, over time. It will also force you to re-assess the past year and plan for the upcoming. Point #3, below, is the other reason you need to do this.
  3. Once a year (or regularly), float your updated resume for job openings – This does 3 things for you. One, it gives you a good idea, of the “demand” for your services/expertise in the marketplace. Are you working in the right areas? Do you need to make any internal changes? Two, it gives you a chance to “interview”, although you may not be actively looking for a new job. Interviewing well is a skill to develop and hone. Three, it gives you a good idea if you are being paid fairly at your current job – a supply-demand issue. I know of so many of my friends whose resumes have not been updated, since they started their current job…. At times 8-10 years have passed. If an unexpected event does occur at their workplace, they are unprepared and not ready to react. Remember this à The BEST time to look for a job is when you are in a strong job position – and NOT when you are impacted and desperate to find something in 4-6 weeks. You will tend to make sub-optimal decisions under pressure, to take care of your personal obligations.
  4. Make it your business to be aware of your Company’s health – Understand the business you are in, your competitors, and the state of your key product (How good is it?) from a competitive standpoint. DO NOT rely only on the marketing press releases, the internal pitches at the quarterly meetings, etc. Ask questions. Do your own SWOT (Strengths/Weaknesses/Opportunities/Threats) analysis. I know most of us are Engineers and not Marketing folks….. At the same time, our training has been in logical thinking, data analysis, and problem-solving. Convince yourself that the product(s) you are working on are still market leaders, and your Company owns a sizable market share. It will give you time to be proactive if you have concerns
  5. Build your internal people network – At some point when you move on from your current job, your personal networking will provide the best “door openers” for new opportunities. ‘Cold calls’ seldom work and a good word by someone known to the organization will at least get you into the door.

DONTs:

  1. Stay in the same job function, for extended times – Make sure you move around and get to work in multiple areas in your area of expertise. Do not be a one-trick pony. If your organization has multiple products – try to move around different teams. Managers, who review resumes, tend to focus on your last 5-7 years of experience and achievements. Our business tends to “label” applicants on their most recent job functions. The longer you stay in the same job function, the more difficult it will be to make any career changes.
  2. Move from Technology to Mgmt. unless you are passionate about it – My point is, do not do this for a Manager title, for a better social status. Of course, if you have innate people skills and enjoy dealing with people issues, by all means, go for it. If your organization is ‘enlightened’ – it will have the systems/process in place to promote parallel streams of professional growth. This would allow a Sr. Distinguished Fellow to be on par (hierarchically) with a Vice president and promote harmonious personal development.  I know of several brilliant technical folks, who incorrectly transitioned to a people manager from a technical lead – just for a Manager title; and who have struggled. Most Technical leadership positions get re-hired far more easily than people leadership positions. The latter is qualitative while the former is quantitative to measure, and hence easier.
  3. Upset your work-life balance – In my other blog listings, I have written often on this topic. Keeping aside work emergencies, always ensure your personal priorities are way ahead of work. Keep your manager informed of critical personal commits you must take care of, so that they may move tasks around where feasible. If your job becomes the center of your existence, your family will hopelessly revolve around it, trying to get your attention – and you may lose control.
  4. Get out-of-sync with the market on your salary/designation – If you follow DO#3 above, you will have a pretty good idea of the market value for your services. If you are a solid performer and have consistently delivered – bring up the discrepancy and ask for the correction. If you don’t ASK, you probably will not GET what you deserve.

Most Companies (in India and US) that I have worked for have enlightened management and strong HR teams, to ensure that their employees are well supported and encouraged to grow personally and professionally. There are, albeit limited, organizations that realize that we are all ‘employees at will’ and can leave within the required notice period. They believe in pro-actively creating the right environment and ensuring that employees are a priority – as they are the major reason why a company is successful. One may have the best set of products; without the commitment and dedication of their people resources, they will fail in the long term.

Companies have to do more for their employees – if they want to change their employee mindset, and stay committed and loyal to their work. Most folks I know understand the security a good job provides to their families, and value it; they will not jump jobs willy-nilly. A partnership is necessary between Executive Management and the folks on the decks below, powering the ship. Both are required for a smooth experience; with total transparency, empathy, and an approach of equality – if employees have to start seeing their jobs as more than just a regular pay check.