Introduction

Whether you are paid to work in someone’s company or your own, do you really ever work for anyone else but you?

It’s an odd concept as you might be thinking that since someone else pays you then you must be working for them. I can’t argue with that but if you’re passionate about what you do then surely you’re not spending 35 to 40 hours a week plus travel time and lunch breaks without investing heavily in yourself at the same time.

I’ve been working in the IT industry for a long time and have been fortunate to work with some amazing people and their businesses. In all that time I’ve never stopped learning new things. Whether that was on some other company’s payroll or my own company’s payroll I always considered that I was investing in me. Whatever I learned (good or bad) would be useful to me somewhere else one day.

When I started out in my first job (very dull and boring old admin work in a tax office, yawn) I doubt that I ever thought I would think like this. Back then I was enjoying the freedom of being young and having my own money and looked forward to the month end so I could spend it. However a few of the characters I met in that job taught me a lot about who I did and perhaps more importantly, who I did not, want to be like as I grew older. Valuable lessons and experience indeed.

Life moved forward and fortunately I moved into the world of IT which proved to be where I sit most comfortably. Now I have the opportunity to help guide others in their first steps in the world of IT as part of my work. I do remember being asked, (a long time ago when I was on another company’s payroll), whether I felt that my employment was safe. I think they were looking for job security, maybe even a job for life.

What dawned on me then has remained true for me. The only job security that you will ever have is what you have learned throughout life and your career to date. In other words, learn what you can, whenever you can. If there is an opportunity, grab it. Someday that will be useful to you and someone will value you for it. That’s your job security right there.

If your current role is not something you enjoy, do whatever you can to learn something you really love and change things. You may not be the best at whatever it is but that simply doesn’t matter if you love doing it.

So, who do you work for?

Regards, Andrew