<p>I was going to post this on one of the Class of threads but decided that a broader base would give more CCers a chance to share their experiences.
I was raised by my Mom who stressed job security. That you don’t leave a good paying job. I also live in a small city where most people don’t change jobs due to lack of similar paying opportunities. As my older children are a few years out in the work world I see that most young people view job change as a given. I didn’t realize how much of my Mom I have in me.
One of my children has been lucky enough to find a full time decent paying position in our community. This is not easy to do in his field. He is beginning to talk about wanting in the next year or so to look for another position in a larger city. Something more cutting edge. I find in the back of my mind the nagging thought- If he leaves this job it will be difficult to ever come back to our small city and find such a good position. (I keep this opinion to myself) I respect all of my kids to have the decisions that are best for them.
Can others share their experiences.</p>
<p>No job is completely secure these days. One has to pay attention to the prospects of your employer and industry, and manage your career accordingly (including continuing education and self-education). Companies and industries change too rapidly for one to have the old social expectation of lifetime employment with pension (however, the old social expectation of increasing pay with seniority causes trouble for older people looking for new jobs, since employers tend to assume that they are looking for higher pay rates that may price them out of the current market).</p>
<p>mom60,
I think that is just the way it is now.
None of my 3 college grads (2006, 2007, 2011) are still in the jobs they started right out of college. Two are in new positions in the same geographical area, one relocated.</p>
<p>Do you fear that if your son leaves the area, he won’t be able to or won’t want to come back?</p>
<p>Mominva- I fear he won’t be able to come back. There just are not that many well paying jobs in his field in our area. He is in a field that most jobs are freelance or contract labor. His present job pays well, has generous benefits and has excellent job security. The previous holder of his job had the job for 16 years. Only moving on since his partner had a relocation.</p>
<p>Well, the next question is…does he want to live in the area?</p>
<p>My one who relocated was in a job with a large (you have heard of it) company, in a job that paid well and was quite secure (no chance of in-company transfer due to anticipated long term need of this project) but not satisfying to my offspring; kid had friends in the new distant city and had visited a few times, decided to resign and relocate 4 years ago, found a job, activities, friends and is the happiest this child has ever been. Getting away from here was the right move.</p>
<p>Most young people I know expect to have many employers over their lifetime. Nephews/nieces have probably had an average of 3 employers each so far. My D was offered a signing bonus to stay for 2 years, and she will think about her options at that time. She likes her job, has great pay and benefits, so I suspect she will either stay or go to grad school. She has already been contacted by a headhunter about other job possibilities. OP’s son may not want to stay in his small city and may be looking to move on.</p>
<p>I have observed that you need to be fairly mobile to stay employed, even with those my age.
You have to be willing to make considerable financial &/ or career progress sacrifices to stay put.</p>