Daryl C.For those clinging to the notion of job security as the reason to stay in a job, consider watching either The Prince of Pennsylvania a documentary, or Foxcatcher, a movie for which Steve Carrell took a dramatic turn and received an Oscar nomination. Both are based on John DuPont.
Even if you are not familiar with the movie, you may recognize the DuPont name as among those of the oldest, wealthiest, families in American history. The basic plot line is revealed quickly and foreshadowing should lead anyone to guess the ending. But I won’t provide any spoilers.
Dupont is the archetype eccentric millionaire. He decides to support top American wrestlers, since wrestling – as in real wrestling – has no professional outlet in the US. Dupont sets up a spectacular wrestling facility and offers full room, board, and stipends to attract elite wrestlers. This “security” is highly enticing to post-collegiate wrestlers who have to work odd jobs to pay the bills while they attempt to make national and Olympic teams.
All goes well initially until Dupont’s mental health begins to decline.
The wrestlers, individually and collectively, are faced with a decision: do we leave or do we stay? Those that stay do so for the same reasons most people stay in jobs too long: the perception of economic security. In the present, the wrestlers are living on a beautiful farm with all their needs met. Those that leave see the future with greater clarity. Dupont’s rapidly deteriorating mental health has made their economic security an illusion.
I see the same pattern with many of our career counseling clients. We are no longer playing by 20th century rules of corporate security. Clients will say that “they” – in some vague allusion to their company – won’t terminate their employment because of some notion of a personal connection between the company and them. “They” are a core group of C-level executives who are making macro decisions about selling the company, eliminating your department, merging with another company, cutting the workforce and all sorts of other financial moves that disregard your individuality.
Watch The Prince of Pennsylvania (Netflix) or Foxcatcher. It might give you renewed motivation to change jobs.