Now that I’ll probably never have a full-time job again I’ve finally figured out something. I’m good for about four years.
I just quit my job. Best boss I’ve ever had. Great properties. Wonderful team. Fine industry. Customers who were friends. My boss said, “You may not believe it now, but in a couple of months you’ll be missing this.”
“I’m already missing it,” I said.
But at 6.5 years, I was 2.5-years over my limit.
For my first “professional” job out of college I started an ad agency with my copywriter sister and her art director husband. I was an English major. No one else would hire me. I was the Account Executive. I didn’t know what that was (English Major, remember?), but it was on my freshly minted business card. http://jlcollinsnh.wordpress.com/about/
Not surprisingly, the agency failed after two years. (What’s surprising is we lasted two years!) So it doesn’t count.
The next job was selling ad space. 4-years.
The job after that was selling ad space. Again, 4-years. Then they made me publisher. That lasted for 7-years. But the last three I was out of my head with boredom.
I quit for a complete career change. That job lasted just shy of a year and ended with my boss and me screaming at each other. Looking at just the work, another three years would have been perfect. So that doesn’t count.
From there I set out to buy a company. That failed but morphed into a speaking and consulting practice. Total time: 5 years. But it was really two jobs and I still had steam left.
But then a consulting prospect hired me to be a publisher again.
One spring day, two days back from a vacation, I found myself telling him it was time for me to move on. I hadn’t planned to quit that day and nothing particular happened. It just seemed time. Looking back, it had been 4-years.
We took the summer off and wandered around Canada making it up to Hudson Bay. In the Fall I joined the company that moved me to New Hampshire. I was a Group Publisher for some technology magazines. It was 1999. Couple of years later the tech bubble burst and a couple of planes slammed into the World Trade Center Towers. By 2002 I was on the street. http://jlcollinsnh.wordpress.com/2011/06/06/why-you-need-f-you-money/
Didn’t make four years on that one either, but would have liked to.
The next three years I was unemployed. Or retired. Or something. I just know job hunting is not in my skill set.
Finally, a colleague from the past hired me into the job I just left. And now I’ve hurled myself back into the abyss.
In the unlikely event that you or somebody you know should hire me, remember I’m good for 4-years. If I haven’t left on my own by then you’ll want to push me out.
Thanks in advance.
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