Some of you noticed that yesterday's post featured the word "security" in quotes at the end.  I don't mean to denigrate full-time employment; however, the #1 argument I hear from people against independent consulting is that is "too insecure".  I always find this strange, considering that I know of a *ton* of independent consultants who have had no trouble remaining gainfully employed for several years as independents.  Did I miss the post where JP Boodhoo or Bil Simser said they were really hurting for work?   Heck, look at the lineup for Calgary Code Camp!  Of the list of speakers, only two out of thirteen are full-time employees.

Further, what is independent consulting actually "insecure" in comparison to: full-time employment?  Many people who talk about full-time being this warm baby oil full-body massage also tend to think you will never ever get laid off or fired from a full-time company.   People get laid off from companies all the time - sometimes for bad reasons (there's been budget cuts), and sometimes for good reasons (Donald stops wearing pants to work).  Being a full-time employee is no guarantee that your job is safe - I knew of a workplace where full-time employees were let go because the contractors on site were outperforming them!   

"Job security" means "keeping your current job".  However, I choose to look at *career* security, which means "always being able to get/keep rewarding employment".  I feel that the second is *far* more secure than the first.

Job security means nothing if your company has to suddenly lay you off after 10 years.  Where is the vaunted "security" then?  Companies do not owe you employment for years of service.  What do you think happens to the full-time employee who coasted on his cushy job, never learning, never growing, and then finds himself back in the marketplace looking for work? 

In contrast, I know a lot of people who have career security.  All of them have several traits in common:

• They are very passionate about what they do
• They are relatively *good* at what they do
• They are constantly trying to better themselves

They are secure for a couple of reasons:

• Their employers are almost always very happy with the work they do
• They are in high demand for the brief times that they "are on the market".

Guess what?  Some of them are full-time employees, others are independent consultants.  It makes no difference.  If you are capable, competent, care about the work you do, and care about continual self-improvement, you are not going to have trouble finding and keeping employment!  That goes for anybody, regardless of their "independent" status or not.    Now, this isn't the *only* way to career security.  The one, true, guaranteed way is to have a fabulous mane of hair and a rugged yet seductive appearance.  Unlike myself though, you can't just coast on your good looks your entire life (I'm sorry to break this to Tom and George, but it's better you found out sooner than later).

If you really want to experience a lack of career security, stop investing in yourself.  Trust me, if you stop learning, growing, and improving, you'll definitely know what it's like to fear for your job, and for your future employment!   You'll feel trapped wherever you are and terrified of the day the axe ever falls; it's a lot easier to get someone to do unpaid OT when they think they have nowhere else they can go.  

Forget about your *job* being secure - is your career secure?  And if you don't think it is, what are you doing to ensure that it is down the road?