On the surface, it’s a terrible question to ask. Yet upon closer inspection, it’s vital for you to answer.
In our recent “Career Talk Live” interview with Leon, we learned he is a retired structural engineer, although he identified himself as a retired principal engineer. Big deal, what’s the difference? There’s a critical distinction.
“Retired structural engineer” refers to his occupation in the field of structural engineering, and “retired principal engineer” refers to his most recent role at a multinational aerospace and defense firm. This got us thinking about an article we read a while ago called “The Right Way to Be Fired.”
The authors describe the difference between two general mind-sets people have about themselves relative to where they work. One is an assignment mentality, wherein an individual sees her job as a temporary building block to her next work opportunity. The other is a tenure mind-set, which is:
“the comforting sense that an organization willingly parts with valued employees only when they formally retire. It has long been dead in corporate America, although most companies won’t openly admit it. After all, letting employees know that their jobs are finite would make them feel disposable and would hurt recruiting efforts.”
Leon related that he wasn’t quite ready to leave his employer, yet retire he did. We can learn something from him. Those with an assignment mind-set can more readily reorganize themselves and redirect their energy to what’s next. By contrast, workers with a tenure mind-set often become mired in their disillusionment about leaving the organization and face difficulties moving toward their next goal, even if it’s retirement.
In other words, if you have an assignment mind-set, you’re ready to be fired. This preparedness will serve you well once it’s time to look for a new gig. And we know that your current job will likely not be your last.
Bottom line: When you see yourself as a “tax accountant” rather than as a “senior accountant at Acme, Inc.,” you’re more integrated in the world at large, and thus more whole.
Do you have more of a tenure mind-set, or an assignment mentality? How does this inform your vision of your professional future?
