The danger of a comfortable job

For most of us, finding a job after we graduate is our main goal. 

We want a salary that is nothing close to what we were making during graduate school, to be financially and professionally stable, and to work for 30+ years until we are ready to retire. We want a job where we can feel comfortable enough to develop ourselves professionally while still enjoy life. Although for most people finding a job like that isn’t straightforward, in part because of the times we are living in, it is possible that once they do find it and reach that comfort zone, they will stop thinking actively about their professional future and that can be very dangerous. 

Job security and financial stability are two of the main things we look for in a job but in the times we are living in, none of them are guaranteed, no matter the experience, skills or the level of education we have. 

Companies are closing entire departments, financial priorities are constantly shifting and universities are reducing the amount of available tenure track positions. With all those things happening, the need for specific employees that have specific skills is never constant. It is important that we keep this in mind because no matter how stable we think our jobs can be, the truth is that they aren’t. 

So, the moment you start feeling comfortable at your job is the perfect moment to start diversifying your expertise, and pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone. What I mean by this is that this is the time for you to revisit your professional goals. 

Are you actively working towards them? How close are you to reaching them? Is your current job going to take you there? This is the time to work towards getting trained in a new area and to acquire new skills. This is your opportunity to invest time, money and effort towards your professional development. Ask yourself: If I lose my job today will any other company hire me? What do I have to offer so that an employer will want me and no one else to be part of their team?

Feeling comfortable at our jobs doesn’t have to be a bad thing. It feels very reassuring and safe to be in a comfort zone. But, without being too pessimistic we have to keep in mind that our professional reality can change dramatically in the blink of an eye, and being prepared for that will give us a tremendous advantage. 

Remember that feeling comfortable is a good thing, but some people say than nothing great has ever been achieved while in a comfort zone. Good Luck!