Pinar Tarhan
Jul 23, 2017 · 3 min read

Job Security Doesn’t Exist: What You Should Focus on Instead

Does job security really come with full-time jobs? Is it a myth for freelancers? Or is it a myth for everyone?

Absolute job security is a myth. I was originally going to write about freelancing and the perception of security that came with full-time, but then I realized there is no absolute job security.

One story of being fired:

One of my friends was working as a sales rep. One of her co-workers got fired. She hated the girl, so she is not exactly crying about it. But here’s why the girl got fired: The managers found out that she went to job interviews during work hours. Something that should be frowned upon? Yes. Something that should get you fired? I am not so sure.

Depends on whose viewpoint you are considering. If you are the employer, you would be pissed. You’d be right to be. But then again, the work starts at 9 and doesn’t end before 6.30 p.m., and that is the earliest they can leave the firm. So if you really wanted another job, how would you be able to secure interviews after that? You couldn’t. It may look like you are betraying your boss’s trust, but then again, who doesn’t spend at least a fraction of their office time looking for distractions or other job opportunities online?

My friend freaked out because she did that too. In fact, the firm is small and the only people who haven’t been going to interviews were the managers. Job loyalty? You betcha. They also happen to be the owners. Luckily, they didn’t take the fired girl’s word for granted and try to investigate everyone else. Maybe they really despised the girl. Hey, she had a reputation for being difficult.

We can debate about whether she should have been warned or that they were right about letting her go. But hey, the issue here is that she wasn’t freelancing.

Another story of being fired:

Remember Christian Slater? Well, there is a chance you heard of him or saw a movie with him in it if you are slightly into movies. He has been in Robin Hood Prince of Thieves, Heathers, Untamed Heart, Bed of Roses, Broken Arrow, True Romance, Windtalkers, Basil…

Well, he has quite a CV. You can always check out my Christian Slater post if you want more info on the guy. The point is, he is a fairly well-known actor with an impressive resume, currently topped by his performance in Mr. Robot.

But before I could check out his TV show My Own Worst Enemy, it was canceled. Of course this didn’t stop me from seeing it. But then Christian was back in another TV show called The Forgotten. Great show, it didn’t see a 2nd season.

So you might be a famous actor who is hardly ever out of work, but you still depend on the “boss”- the boss being the network executives. Or the movie studios. Or the director and producers…

Surely, Christian will survive. But it doesn’t change the fact that his “job” was canceled many times.

The moral of these stories:

Life is full of surprises. Your personality or your CV doesn’t guarantee security. If they want to fire you, they will fire you. If there are monetary obligations, they will pay that and then fire you.

No, I am not trying to bring you down. But we must be realistic. We can’t blindly assume our job is at risk or totally safe. We need a back-up plan. We need to be prepared. How?

How to have a back-up plan:

- Network.

- Get on well with your boss.

- Try not to piss off your ex-boss, even if you hate them.

- Never isolate yourself from the industry.

- Never let your job to define you. If you are a writer, sure, let that define you. It is a craft. Just don’t take your bosses, clients, or your jobs for granted.

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For more career advice or to hire me as a writer, give me a shout at pinartarhan@windowslive.com or check out my website. And if you liked this piece, please click the heart icon! :)

Pinar Tarhan

Written by

Freelance writer for hire. Careers, Business, Lifestyle, and anything else that inspires me. http://writing.pinartarhan.com

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