Career (Job) Security - Rural? Big or small? By Industry?

[J Oliphant]

You talk to manufacturing people about this career, and every once in a while you get the impression its not the most secure of job fields.

No wonder either. To take responseability for the quality defects and customer complaints, when you actually have no authority to correct anything. See Energy's post to realize just how true this is.

But I'm growing and interested in this field even if it is mainly just secondary duties for me as a quality control chemist. And one day I will want to move on. With two kids, a car payment, a way of life, and bills that can't be ignored.

Are there things that interviewers might say or be that lets you know its more secure? Are rural places, big or small businesses, or certain industries more reliable? Are there ways to feel out situations for some sense of the safety factor.

Are there ways to make yourself More marketable to those that can be relied upon? I know I am asking some pretty big generalities- but many of you must have made that difficult first step. Apply for position and hope that they give you the support to succeed. Advice, experiences, horror stories (Energy/Lucinda) did you have any clues (with hindsight)?

[The Taz!]

Career Security is an Oxymoron. . . .

[Marc]

None the less, an interesting topic. I was with a client the other day and we were discussing that in a way. They are talking about young engineers - hiring some to be 'mentored' by the existing older folks. Which sounds nice but the company has a high turnover rate even in engineering. So it can be the other way around too. Just some thoughts....

I would think more rural areas would be more secure, but I have no facts or data to support my thought.

I do agree that job security is, and has long been, an issue. But I would focus on where you want to live your life, research areas that meet the bill, look at the various businesses and contact them.

I do go along with Taz - there is seldom true job security unless you 'have something' on the company president (Married to his daughter? Know his mistress?) or something like that....

[SteelWoman]

I've got some immediate perspective on this. As you may know from another post, a portion of my company just got bought out by another company, and we're knee deep in interviews with BOTH companies to see who gets whom. In this area, which is southern, sort of rural, I am finding myself in the enviable position of being desired by both companies, primarily because I am well-versed in TS16949, which is still "new" enough that someone familiar with it is desirable. But even before my TS experience someone who knows their stuff in Quality systems - the nuts and bolts of implementing quality systems, not just "supervising" a quality system - is highly desireable, in this neck o' the woods anyway. I've worked with two companies in this area recently who ended up firing Quality people BECAUSE they were "administrators" of quality systems without having a full understanding of the day to day aspects of getting a QMS in place and the details of what the respective standards require. Another guy at our company attempted to pass himself off as a "quality guru" to another area industry, and they figured out pretty quick in the interview that he knew virtually NOTHING about the standard (in that case, QS9000). So at least in my experience I'd say Quality people who are "in the trenches" types are highly valuable and about as secure as anyone can hope to be, which as the ever-eloquent Taz! pointed out, ain't much.

[Steve Prevette]

Originally Posted by Marc

- there is seldom true job security unless you 'have something' on the company president (Married to his daughter? Know his mistress?) or something like that....

Even then, if that president leaves, then you're even worse in trouble.

I'm a Tom Peters fan, and I think one of his points is you gotta have something on the company. You have to be the expert of something. Here, I'm the expert on numbers. Over 11 years I have maintained my credibility, seen people come and go, and outlasted them all. If you go to Tom Peters.com , they have a free web-conference at the end of this month on "outsource-proofing your career". It may be interesting.

[mshell]

I am in a very rural area and the company that I work for advertised my position for a LONG time before I came to work here. Quality professionals are few and far between in this area.

In addition, I have been gone from my old company for 16 months and they just found a replacement a couple of weeks ago.

[Rob Nix]

Good point, Steve, on "out-source proofing your career" by having talents no one else has. I would add that when you learn and take on responsibilities that no one else wants, that gives you further leverage.

At a sheet metal stamping plant I worked at over 15 years ago, some of my peers asked me why I did many of the tasks that were the responsibility of my boss. I told them that when layoffs were inevitable, how likely would my boss take those responsibilities back if he layed me off?

That's what is so cool about Quality Assurance. No one else wants it. So if we are willing to continue learning and applying new things, we really will have "something on the company"

If outsourcing is inevitable nonetheless, there is a pretty good article in the June 2004 Quality Progress (for those of you that get it) in the "Career Corner" entitled "Prepare for the Worst". It discusses, for example, taking your current skills and applying them to other fields.

[SteelWoman]

Originally Posted by Rob Nix

That's what is so cool about Quality Assurance. No one else wants it.

AMEN to that, Rob! I just told someone recently, "The nice thing about quality? Look behind me, do you see a line forming of people who WANT to do my job?! I don't think so!"