Amanda Rose explains why jobs for life are not a career death sentence but also not for everyone

Some people mock those who work in the same organisation for life but they fail to see the two-way advantages.

Amanda Rose, founder of Small Business Women Australia. Picture: Monique Harmer

Workers seeking jobs for life are not as common today, but there are definite benefits to having “lifers” on staff.

Whether a job for life will be right for you comes down to your personality. Working for one organisation, such as a bank, and progressing through the ranks is perfect for someone who wants stability and consistency. And organisations need people like this.

Some people mock those who have jobs for life as not being ambitious or describe them as boring. If they looked a little deeper, they would see the skills they bring are wisdom, stability and experience – all the things you cannot get in the gig economy.

BENEFITS

Long-term workers will be able to offer insights into how things were handled successfully or not in the past and how to recession-proof your business during events such as a financial crisis or Covid.

Banking is one career path that has offered a job for life for many employees.

If you can mix this experience with people who have different styles and ideas, then you get the best of both worlds.

NOT FOR THE YOUNG?

Ambitious young people tend to move jobs and careers more often than older generations. This can be high risk, but it can also pay off if you work hard and continue to develop skills.

When I was younger I was in a new job every year. I wanted to grow and sometimes that meant I had to move on. Now I have been running two businesses for seven and 15 years, so I’ve become a late-stage lifer. Young people need to assess their work situation yearly to determine if there’s room to grow their career. If you can, stay. If you can’t, go.

Older employees bring wisdom, stability and experience to a business.

FALLING BEHIND

The great fear with keeping older workers is that they will not keep up with technology. But if someone is willing to upskill, you will reap the benefits of retaining their character, intel on the job and experience. If that worker doesn’t want to learn and they become redundant, so be it.

Do you have a work query for Amanda? Email [e-mail]

* Amanda Rose is the founder of Small Business Women Australia, a key mentor and career adviser.
Visit amandarose.com.au

Originally published as Amanda Rose explains why jobs for life are not a career death sentence but also not for everyone