If my job was my life? For 12 months?

[deacs1995]

I work for a 4000+ company and the folks who work the hardest rarely get ahead, more than adding a "Sr. to their title, i.e. Sr. Business Analyst. Plus, that becomes their rep and people then expect you to work that much.

Its those folks who get shit done, lead, take risks, make decisions when no one else does, etc. that get "ahead".

Truer words have never been spoken/typed.

 

[Nelly Furtado]

I was thinking this same thing. Folks that end up in upper management typically didn't bust their asses for one year, then go on cruise control for the rest of their lives.

 

[Newenglanddeac]

I've been a business analyst, and I've been an entrepreneur. If you're going to do it, don't do it as a BA. Start your own damn company, or at least do the independent consulting gig so you can get paid for all of the hours you plan to be working.

This. Don't kill yourself for someone else to get a marginally better salary and title.

If I was in your position, I would take the spare time and energy to develop an idea/business plan. Work on it on the side until you're ready to run it full time. Then cut the company cord and be your own boss.

 

[JDawg]

You after the year is up: "I don't know where my soul is , I don't know where my home is"

fixed

 

[Real Talk Deac]

You should do this beginning today, then report back to us your results one year from now. This is what we want.

 

[freakadeac]

There are a few questions you should answer.

1) What will "job = life" really get you at the end of 12 months? Most of my career has been at a company where heavy busting ass meant a raise of 5.5% versus 3.5% for cruising, a raise of 95% of target versus 85% of target and a few thousand dollars of company shares. So, you could bust your hump working an extra say, 2,000 hours to get an extra, say, $15,000 (all numbers are just examples). That's $7.50 an hour, about like working at McDonalds.

2) How do people really rise up the ladder? At the aforementioned company, who you have lunch with or have Thursday drinks with has a MUCH larger impact than job performance. Personally I started having more success (raises/bonuses/promotions) by paying attention to these other factors and worked less hours than when i was cranking out tons of hours and producing more.

3) How often does org structure change? You could bust your ass this year, impress the hell out of your boss but in 18 months if you have a reorg that sends your boss to manage QA and you're reporting to someone that knows nothing of your magic year, the capital you built up would be mostly for naught, save for whatever money you made from point 1) above.

Given my own experiences working for giant corporations, I would never make job = life. Maybe where you work is different. Others suggested making (not job) = life and I'll cast my vote that way.

Nailed it.

My old management team was very strait-laced, rarely went out for drinks, micro managed etc. and it was a perfect fit for me because I followed orders and worked hard. I quickly gained the "Sr" title, meaning I could take on a larger workload. I still did the lunch/drinks thing and remained involved in other ways (ran fantasy football, organized a running group). With my new job/management team, it is very laid back and all about lunch/drinks/social activities to the point where it feels like I am living out the Selfish Herd Theory (never be an outsider, think Shark Week and seals). Honestly it's been a tough transition but I make an effort to do the small things (go out to team lunches and rarely pack to save money, say hi to my bosses every day) that mean a lot more than working hard.

 

[freakadeac]

Actually that post inspired me to start a running group and fantasy league in my new dept (even if we miss 2 weeks)...so thanks OP! :thumbsup:

 

[bojanglefunk]

I work for a 4000+ company and the folks who work the hardest rarely get ahead, more than adding a "Sr. to their title, i.e. Sr. Business Analyst. Plus, that becomes their rep and people then expect you to work that much.

Its those folks who get shit done, lead, take risks, make decisions when no one else does, etc. that get "ahead".

Okay I am now about 99% sure you work at the same place as my pops.

Are you in the pickle building or the trapezoid?

 

[DeacHead]

Well I am glad your response lives up to the play on words your handle is making.

I assumed you were basing it in some sort of illustrative purpose of a realistic experience/read that part and was shocked at your own experience and replied before I read the rest of the post.

I'm going to have to own up to giving a disproportionate response. For that I do apologize.

Also, I made a typo with "a raise of 95% of target versus 85% of target ". The word "raise" should be "bonus".