Odd Man Out: 20 Years @ the Same Company - Who Does That Anymore?

I write this post 1 day before I celebrate my 20th year anniversary at a single company.  The only company I have ever ever known.  The company that I joined a week after I graduated from college back in June of 1996.  It seems trite to say that it feels like yesterday, but it really does.  

I can still recall the nerves and beads of sweet on my palms and forehead as I approached the room where I would sit for round 1 of interviews, this one a quick behavioral assessment (only a informal conversation as I knew it at the time) that took place in the bustling career center on campus.  There I met a man that still remains one of my key mentors still to this day.  His name is Ed Davis and from that first conversation where I am now sure he was sizing me up for a fit in the "firm" known back then by Andersen Consulting.

What now seems like a whirlwind of interviews (I believe at least 4) in quick succession, I got the job!  I remember getting the formal letter in the mail, printed on the finest stationary, and immediately scanning for the starting salary and "signing bonus."   Wow, this was real!  I was rich!  Ha, hardly... The number was amazingly unimpressive by any measure today, but it was not the money that most excited me, it was the opportunity to begin my career and see where the journey takes me.

If I said it once, I said it 400 times... "Andersen is a great place to start your career.  Having the name on your resume is your ticket anywhere. Or, "I think I'll be here for 2 years... .4 years tops."   How funny, as you talk to any of us "long-timers" you'll hear a very familiar story.  This company wasn't the place to make a long time home, but a great launching point.

The thing is, I grew up in a family that experienced a lot of change.  My Father's career as an Aeronautical Engineer started in Michigan and through several job changes over my childhood and teen years, we moved to Ohio, Oregon and finally settled in Tampa, FL.  My family and I got to experience the benefits of seeing all kinds of diverse parts of the country, but never really rooted in one particular home.  I watched as my Father experienced a series of layoffs as well as seeing him taking the big risks for opportunities that would ensure the safety and security of our family at every step.   It was not in direct statements that he ever made to me growing up, but in the hints he would give me, that finding a career and a company you could trust for the long-term, that would ensure my growth, but also the stability that his career could never offer us.

There were distinct benefits to moving around as much as we did.  I learned how to adapt.  I learned how to find a spot, dig in and get something done.  I gained the skill to feel safety in change and actually seek out challenges that would test my abilities.  From competitive soccer on a dozen different teams, to learning 4 instruments and playing in a half dozen bands, from joining student councils or starting student clubs wherever I went, I found ways to fit in and adapt and even flourish in this kind of dynamic environment.  This kind of environment is one that feels natural and safe to me... 

20 years in a single company.  What?  Why?  "You're missing out"  "You're not taking advantage of the salary increases you get when you move from job to job"   "Aren't you bored?"

The why for me, and the reason I stayed "just until my next promotion" 5 different times, is because I have found a way to re-invent myself more than 15 times over the 20 years I have been with Accenture.  The roles that I have had over the course of my time here have been so different along the way, I honestly feel like my job has changed 15 different times.  The thing that has kept me has been the things that haven't changed and have remained stable all along.

Just like I point to my strong family bond as the reason my Sister and I were able to cope through all the job/city/school changes growing up, there are elements to my career with Accenture that have remained constant and enduring.  The standout element of that stability is the strong culture (some would call it DNA or "special sauce") that encourages collaborating and helping your colleagues.  You know that if you take a few minutes to lend a hand to someone that is trying to solve a tough problem, find a template or an asset, or staff a job, that it will pay off in spades when you need the same.  In fact, this part of our culture is so strong that I have had more than one experienced hire join Accenture and say things to me like "why do you all help each other like you do?  At my last company it was every man for himself."  Those are the times I remember what it is that keeps me in a single job, for the same company 20 years later.

See, I could have gone 20 different places along the way.  I could have taken those jobs that tempted me to try the startup thing, the big competitor that was going to offer me 20% more, my own company, etc.  But, it was the combination of being in a place that encourages moving roles, trying new challenges and taking risks, all the while, being supported by a culture that won't let you crash into flames.  Allowing you to put your neck out and sometimes fail, but picks you up to teach you what you can do better next time. 

20 years at the same company?  Who does that?  

I do, and I am proud to say that I have....