Eighteen

Today is my 18th anniversary with my current employer. That is certainly a personal record – my previous best was four years and my norm was two – and it is highly unusual in the media world for someone to work at the same place for that long.

In that eighteen years, I’ve seen five ownership changes, five immediate supervisor changes and four top boss changes. The next longest tenure in my department is just four years, after that is just under three years (my immediate supervisor) and the rest are two years or less.

I started at this radio station as a part time DJ, then became a full time DJ. My Sunday morning public service interview shows were added along the way. Eleven years ago, I was promoted to my primary current job, but still also do most of the previous jobs in one form or another. That’s life in corporate America these days.

Working at one job for years or decades was the norm for older boomers and boomer parents. Gen X and younger can expect to change jobs every few years and change careers at least 2 or 3 times in their working life.

Boomers these days are often thinking about retiring from their first careers at my age and are searching for a second career that is more fulfilling or meaningful. Fortunately for me, my current career does all that. I don’t plan to ever retire, but I would like to cut back the quantity of work one day so I can focus more on the quality.

Meanwhile I’m grateful for what I have: a good job that pays well, challenges my creativity and often fulfills my desire for doing something meaningful.

Hmmm, a song lyric from my youth just popped into my head: I'm eighteen and I LIKE IT. Yes I like it!

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