Realizing Your Value in a Workforce Where You Apparently Only Get ‘12 Good Years’
In today’s job market, there’s a rather cheeky saying doing the rounds that employers expect to get ‘12 good years’ out of an employee before they become as easy to throw out as a parking ticket. Ouch! But before you begin visualizing your career as a rather drab rendition of a “Survivor” episode, take a moment to understand that you hold the key to outliving the expiration date on your most productive years at work: Knowing your worth. So, brace yourselves. It’s finna get all sorts of empowering up in here as we delve into the concept of recognizing one’s own value.
First, let’s talk about the elephant in the room: the idea of a ‘12-year limit.’ This belief is a corporate version of a Cinderella story gone wrong: At the stroke of the twelfth year, the carriage turns into a pumpkin. However, your career isn’t dictated by a fairy tale or a corporate lore. It is not the enchanted glass slipper that fits perfectly for twelve years, then shatters into irrelevance. I mean, come on, friend-o. Have a little more love for yourself or something.
Sheesh.
So, imagine your career as a fine wine. Yes, yes… you heard correctly. A good wine becomes more tantalizing, more valuable with age. Similarly, your years of experience add layers of richness and depth to your professional profile, making you an asset, not a liability. The key lies in embracing this mindset and projecting it outward. Let the young bucks and whippersnappers at your office just tire themselves right out. You know this game as well as anyone whose professional life spans upwards of a decade. Now, use it as leverage.
If you’re going to stake your claim in the job market, you need to know your worth, and then, my friend, you need to charge it. But how do you assess your professional worth? Does it come to you in a dream or something? Well, no. Knowing your worth requires a careful blend of self-awareness, market research, and just a dollop of audacity.
Start by doing a deep dive into your skills and accomplishments. What unique qualities do you bring to the table? How have you contributed to your past employers? And as you catalog your achievements,
for REEEAAAL
…don’t be modest. No one’s going to sing about your successes unless you lead the choir.
Next, turn your gaze outward. Research your industry’s compensation norms. There are plenty of resources online that allow you to compare salaries and roles within your field. Just remember to consider factors like location, company size, and experience level in your comparison.
Now comes the crucial part: bridging the gap between your self-assessment and market expectations. This is where some audacity comes into play. Don’t undersell yourself for the sake of fitting into the mold of what you think an employer (or whoever) expects of you. Your worth is not a bargain to be haggled over; it’s a non-negotiable standard.
So, what happens when you encounter a prospective employer who’s stuck on the ‘12-year rule’ or views you as a depreciating asset rather than appreciating your professional evolution? Here’s a simple, albeit difficult, solution: walk away. If a company is not willing to acknowledge your worth, then they are likely not worth your time. After all, why settle for an organization that can’t appreciate a vintage when they see one?
Remember, you’re not just an employee with an expiration date. You’re a continually evolving professional, amassing experience, honing skills, and improving with each passing year. Much like that fine wine, you grow more valuable over time, not less.
The job market can at times be like navigating the most dismal of murky seas, but knowing your worth is the compass. It guides you through difficult decisions and ensures that you don’t lose sight of all that things that make you as valuable as you are. Don’t let the ‘12-year rule’ or any other corporate myth define your professional journey.
In the end, the secret to surviving and thriving in the job market isn’t about clocking years on the job; it’s about clocking your accomplishments, building on your experience, and, most importantly, recognizing the worth you bring to an organization. Because you, beloved reader, are priceless, no matter the year.
