Statistics show that Millennials only stay at their jobs for 2.8 years. It's 10 years for Boomers. But Donald* is an outlier, spending an average of six years at a job. But it's not for the reason you think.
What's your philosophy about work?
I believe it should be rewarding/fulfilling, while also leaving room for a healthy life that involves other humans who are not colleagues. It should be rewarding/fulfilling financially and career-growth-wise.
Have you always had this philosophy or have your experiences shaped it?
Now that I think of it, I believe my upbringing conditioned me early to prioritise my relationships. My experiences as an adult have also further strengthened my belief in cultivating interactions that aren't always goal/company objective-related.
Growing up and seeing what isolation did to some of my family members taught me -- as early as my teens -- that was not the way to go.
I have also seen people who gave their all to work but had issues relating with people, family, for instance, outside the workplace. Social media is rife with stories of successful people -- as far as their businesses and jobs are concerned -- who fail woefully on the home front.
Not many people will agree with me, but getting an A+ on the job and an A+ at home is more difficult than work-life balance proponents make it seem. Something has to give. Sacrifices have to be made, one way or the other.
My goal is to be able to give my best in both worlds and for those who matter -- my family and employer -- to give me pass marks for effort and results. It might be 70 here and 80 there, but I want to do well in both worlds.
Beyond the immediate family, I also believe in healthy friendships, which I must confess I am struggling to cultivate at the moment. My inner circle has exploded because of the japa wave. My closest friends aren't my closest anymore, and I perfectly understand the needs and demands of a new environment. Not to mention the pressure they are under to balance work and home in a foreign land.
So, you're all for "find a balance by any means you can." Cool!
Now, if we took a poll, there'll, perhaps, be many people who hold similar idea of having it great on both ends, but since working is non-negotiable, do you think the current job landscape support this philosophy?
No, I don't. It definitely doesn't in Nigeria — can’t speak for other climes. This is probably why I’ll remain where I am for a while as it operates a hybrid model.
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I see... So, you've found a system that works? Was there a time when you had to put up with what didn't work?
Yes, there was. On my first job—I've had only two in my 12 years of work.
I had a very hardworking boss — a brilliant man — who was doing a few things that cut across media, academia, and social advocacy. So I wore a few hats, depending on what was on the table.
He’d somehow mastered the art of working 20-hour days and sleeping for four hours or less. Will you leave your Oga at the office and say, “Good night, sir. See you tomorrow”?🤣🤣🤣
Well, sometimes, I did. Of course, many times, he dismissed me and worked late into the night. But I spent more time with him than I did at home.
Interestingly, those years helped me hone the skills that I use in my current job. I also learnt early in my work life what I didn't want to continue.
Interesting! You got my attention with 'two jobs in 12 years of work'. Now that's not common. How did that come to be?
I guess studying a course in school you don’t like will do that to you.
I went through school not sure what to do upon graduation. And as sure as the rising sun, graduation came and I'd not figured it out.
The sensible course of action was to do what I had a knack for but had never really seen as a skill to be monetised. Interestingly, that skill didn't get me through the door for my first job, my administrative abilities did.
In carrying out my administrative duties, my preferred skill found expression. The rest, as they say, is history.
Still curious, the norm is probably between 3-5 jobs/companies in those 12 years. What's unique about your situation?
My first job as an administrative assistant provided security, especially since I wasn't going to practise what I studied. It took a few years in that role to latch on to and develop my other skills.
I remained in that role for seven years before moving to a company requiring only my main skills, which is where I've been for almost five years.
So, to answer more directly, I probably would have moved on after three or four years in my first job if I had a more varied skill set. I did not, so I remained where I was relevant.
So, going by this, you stayed longer in the first place because you wanted to find your feet. Five years in the second place, why haven't you moved?
A lot has changed in my life since my first job. I am now at a point in my life where I cannot experiment too much -- stability is more important for me now than it was seven to ten years ago.
But that is not to say I am not open to upskilling or learning something entirely different from what I have always known, from what has provided this stability that I speak about. But if I were to do that, I'd have to be very measured in my calculations and be careful what risks I take.
Would you say you're the average Millennial with this approach to work and transitioning?
Probably; not too sure though. I think Millennials are generally more focused on stability while Gen Z are less stable, not due to any fault of theirs. It has to do with the times and what obtains. Social media has also helped to shape minds and mentalities. So the way people of different generations think is vastly different.
I believe 12 years is sufficient to give career advice. What would you say to someone just getting into the scene?
Have a workable and carefully structured plan — emphasis on workable — and stick with it.
If you’ll take risks and experiment to find what sticks to or resonates with you, do it early in your career. As you go along, build relationships.
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