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"In the American market, someone who stays that long with a company without changing positions is often seen to be lacking in ambition or in competence by a casual observer."
Ahhh.... that's not superflicious at all is it? Reading something into nothing, typical Freudien Bullshit. Obviously the company has become the mother "Ersatz" 
In my professional carrer I have worked for four companies (not including my time as a soldier). I have always been happy at all of them, only having to change because of the finicial situation of the company (twice) and because of my health problems (once, slipped disc). At the company I am now at I have reached the posistion of a Principal Consultant, not because I have wanted to, but because of the work I have put in and my skills that I have developed over the years, but to be completly honest, I'd rather be sitting at my desk, hacking away at the keyboard. It is far more satisfing than creating processes, or developing solutions, does that mean I lack ambition? Or perhaps I'm lacking in competence? I do a job because I want to do it, I do a job because I enjoy it.
As for secure, noone is indispensible, noone. If for whatever reason you have to go, you will be put out, full stop. So, what's the definition of a rock solid job? Be your own boss.
Who the f*** is General Failure, and why is he reading my harddisk?
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Phil.Benson wrote: Ahhh.... that's not superflicious at all is it? Reading something into nothing, typical Freudien bullsh*t. Obviously the company has become the mother "Ersatz"
*JOKE*
No, government's Mom, work's Dad.  ) 's OK, they're not married yet and a lot of us kids are pulling for them to stay that way.
*END JOKE*
Phil.Benson wrote: In my professional carrer I have worked for four companies (not including my time as a soldier). I have always been happy at all of them, only having to change because of the finicial situation of the company (twice) and because of my health problems (once, slipped disc). At the company I am now at I have reached the posistion of a Principal Consultant, not because I have wanted to, but because of the work I have put in and my skills that I have developed over the years, but to be completly honest, I'd rather be sitting at my desk, hacking away at the keyboard. It is far more satisfing than creating processes, or developing solutions, does that mean I lack ambition? Or perhaps I'm lacking in competence? I do a job because I want to do it, I do a job because I enjoy it.
Yah, tell me about it. My one and only guaranteed shot at management (offer was on the table and everything, refused 'cause I thought my sick wife would make me less effective than the next guy...biggest mistake of my life  ) included the opportunity to cherry-pick what I'd let the juniors write and what I'd write myself. Years and two layoffs later, I'm a happy developer again. I say "developer" because I do everything but business requirements and final user interface approval (my boss likes to do that); "coding" just doesn't allow the same freedom (in one job, I spent 60% of my time writing technical specifications for "coders", and being the "coder" for the more abstruse problems...if the problems hadn't become boring to the point of ego annihilation, I might still be there.)
But nothing is rock solid. This position is close, though
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My main job is a tech company, the whole company runs around software written by me and a couple of others. In any case, I get job offers most weeks, there's 3-4 people who chase me regularly to see if I've become available, as well as things that appear here and there. I'm not worried at all. I really just want to find a way to take a month off.....
Christian Graus
No longer a Microsoft MVP, but still happy to answer your questions.
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Been There. Done That. Got Let Go because they thought a new programmer was that Grass Is Always Greener Solution.
Laugh is on them - they said the new guy could do in a year what took me two years. After he, and a string of others (including two to replace just me), they finally have a new-ish version of their (only) product - just short of 4 years later. (Did I hear someone say 'oops' ?)
But - I wrote the code for their only product and was the only programmer - and was still just plain let go (and deliberately without warning).
Moral of the story? It's never too late to start worrying.
"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein
"How do you find out if you're unwanted if everyone you try to ask tells you to go away?" - Balboos HaGadol
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Balboos wrote: Grass Is Always Greener Solution.
Don't you mean; Graus Is Always Greener Solution.
*ducks*
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I know the feeling, Ive been switching jobs (My carreer as employee is short) to get better salaries, so everytime someone chases me, I endup changing the job and Im looking for that month-off for sometime now, and now Im probably going to return for my old job (they cannot do it without me) as they are offering good cash for my return. I will have to wait for another whole year before I can get that one month off again. My vacation keeps on getting postponed, maybe I will never have one. 
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Christian Graus wrote: I really just want to find a way to take a month off.....
Yeah, you really do. I did that in 2006 - took the entire month of October off. I and the family spent the entire month driving out west, going to the Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, San Francisco ... wherever we felt like going. Man was that ever sweet. I resolved, at that point, to take a month sabbatical once every five years. There's nothing to compare to a month with no agenda.
-CB 
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Don't fool yourself. No one is indispensible. Besides, what happens if you get hit by a truck tomorrow? Might be very painful for that company, but they'll probably survive.
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True, there are no absolutes and life goes on and all that but there are people who can feel as-close-to-as-doesn't-make-a-difference rock-solid in their position.
Anyone can be replaced but it will be costly, time consuming and you may just find you lost the magic that made it all work.
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We've recently started on a new project that is guaranteed not to meet the schedule they've set. During the 90 minute kick-off briefing from the project manager, I lost count after the 12th time he said "we can't be late". We're being given 8 months to build a product that similar efforts have always taken 16 to 24 months to achieve. At the same time, three of our principle developers have been moved 'up' into management, and we're only getting two replacements.
Frankly, it feels like we're being set up to fail, so that they can terminate us for cause (therefore no severance payout) and outsource the development for the product  .
Software Zen: delete this;
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I hope someone's said this loudly to your project manager. Backed up by good analysis of course.
Engineers are supposed to be honest, that's why they don't like us talking to the customers... 
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I've said it several times, in several venues.
Unfortunately, since I'm the departmental token paranoid, I'm not taken entirely seriously.
Software Zen: delete this;
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This is what modern project management is all about. I haven't seen a project "managed" any other way for a few years now. I call it "faith-based" management. Rather than managing requirements and/or schedule according to what can realistically be delivered, managers increasingly just pass if off to developers to make it all happen. If I could get their salary as well as mine (afterall, what are they contributing), it wouldn't be so bad.
Don't like it? Go get an MBA and join the "faith" community!
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My comment during the meeting was that our group was a victim of our own success. We've made too much of a habit of pulling miracles out of our asses. This time, however, there isn't enough Preparation H in the world to pull this one off.
Software Zen: delete this;
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Never Too Old wrote: This is what modern project management is all about. I haven't seen a project "managed" any other way for a few years now. I call it "faith-based" management. Rather than managing requirements and/or schedule according to what can realistically be delivered, managers increasingly just pass if off to developers to make it all happen. If I could get their salary as well as mine (afterall, what are they contributing), it wouldn't be so bad.
Don't like it? Go get an MBA and join the "faith" community!
There is this about your "faith" community...most of the time, they get to KEEP their jobs.
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I'd have put myself down as "Reasonably secure" but then had a meeting to say that due to the loss of 2 major contracts by our clients the deptartmental salary bill was now larger than the departments income.
Five days later (while on holiday) I got a phone call saying "You're redundant, don't come back"
I was planning to leave anyway but it was still a bit faster than I'd expected.
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There is no job security other than the ability to do the work, and sometimes, even that is not enough. You also have to be able to sell yourself.
During a rather lengthy period of unemployment (I had potential employers just say "no thanks" and hang up as soon as they learned that I was a C++ programmer in 2003; there was a tiny ad in the Dallas Morning News during that period for C++ programmers that made the TV news for causing a major traffic jam near DFW Airport), I developed several side businesses. Some didn't work out so well (I made a really lousy insurance agent), but some of them did well enough that I have maintained them as my plans B, C, and D.
Now, if I lose my current job, it will cut my total family income (my wife works, too) by 1/3, most of which I can make up in about 3 months by expanding my side businesses. I suspect that was a factor in getting my current job -- I was not desperate, and I could have just quit the rather unfulfilling job I had at the bank whether I got a new offer or not. That had a wonderful effect my confidence in the interview.
I'm getting old enough to be concerned about the next time that elderly C++ programmers go out of style (if you don't believe in age discrimination, you just haven't been around long enough). When (not if) the next crunch hits, I'll be spending about half my time teaching little kids how to play the violin, and the other half pursuing other businesses. I'm a fan of the "Incredible Secret Money Machine" by Don Lancaster (no longer in print; you can't buy a copy any more), and I believe it is necessary to make sure that the loss of one source of income doesn't completely wipe you out.
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Damn! That's a rough deal. I'm just changing my job after working 3 months notice that felt like three years. Although you are without a job it's a small blessing (albeit very small) to not have to work notice.
The plus side is you can step into a job where the requirement is urgent. There's no shame in redundancy so that shouldn't stand against you and gives you a legitimate reason to say that you are available immediately.
I wish you well.
Dave
Software Developer
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Rock solid employees should demand partnership  , if denied then it wasn't that solid.
macmariman
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I tried to leave, than i got a talk from my boss, and my boss's boss on every reason why I should stay with the company... finally they backed up their position with money  so i was persuaded. It's funny that they would rely soooo heavily on a simple contractor?
Einstein argued that there must be simplified explanations of nature, because God is not capricious or arbitrary. No such faith comforts the software engineer.
-Fred Brooks
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StevenWalsh wrote: on every reason why I should stay with the company
They would try to convince that way to appeal their bosses in showing a low attrition rate. But, at least in Indian environment, they would try creating a hostile atmosphere for senior people so that their 'favorites' can be brought up in compelling positions.
Vasudevan Deepak Kumar
Personal Homepage
Tech Gossips
All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players.
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts... --William Shakespeare
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But that doesn't mean that they wouldn't try under some circumstances...
So Rock Solid, relatively secure...
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