Job changing

"Today is my final day at this company" I got this e-mail from one of my co-worker last week. However I wasn't surprised, because it was over 10 people who left from our design studio since I came here.

As you know, Job changing is not at all uncommon thing in the U.S.

According to my internet research, young people change jobs every 18 months. And when they get a job, they start job hunting three days after their starting date. However, at the same time, some people were laid off by lower productivity. So, there are two types of job changing. One is a positive job changing and another is negative job changing.

Generally speaking, American business style is dog eat dog world. So, people who have talents can get a better salary or they can change their job for going their career path. However, if you don't have a talent, you might have to stick to a company.

Meanwhile, Japanese business style is not dog eat world. It focus on more harmonized world. There is no salary gap between career and non-career.

So, most of co-workers tend to keep working in one company that they entered first. As people who have talents, their salary is not enough but as people who have no talents, it's comfortable world.

Which style is better? it is hard to say simply.

I think American style has advantage for productivity, but it requires employment cost, because companies have to pay higher salary to talented employees.

Japanese style is good for normal employees, because it's not dog eat world.

Also, most employee keep working long years means that companies can hold a lot of higher skill employees and it's succeeded easily. But at the same time, it's difficult to lay off untalented employees.

I personally think it's fun to keep working in one company and improving

professional skill and succeed to the next generation.

I understand American style benefits such as a good productivity.

So, the ideal situation that I'v been thinking long time is keeping their job at least 5 years then they can judge to keep working or not. It's impossible to feel or satisfaction if you only work for short period of time. Also, companies should give them good education programs and give a chance to keep their motivation higher.

"keizokuha-chikaranari" is my favorite Japanese proverb meaning that Endurance makes you stronger. Keep working one job and trying to master their individual career is fun and great. I don't like to quit in the middle of things.

I would like to give this Japanese proverb to young generation workers.

Written in Jul 2011 and revised in Jan 2012