Career Concerns?

Several years ago I worked for a major national electronics retailer that was struggling to become number one. I saw this retailer go through many, many changes trying to find the right recipe for success. They were constantly eliminating positions and creating new ones, looking for the most effective way to run their stores. They eliminated a complete product category and added several others. They converted their entire commissioned sales force to hourly. They consolidated Districts, Regions, and Divisions, eliminating several executives in the process. There were changes at all levels of the business, including several changes in the prescribed attire for store associates.

For unrelated reasons, I left that retailer and went to work for another: this one a major national retailer of office products and services. Just prior to my arrival, this company began a quest to make its stores profitable again. They eliminated several store positions, realigned Districts and Regions, and did away with company-provided attire altogether, requiring employees to purchase their own clothing in prescribed colors and styles. Within my first year with this company, it was announced that the company would be "merging" with another company of vaguely related products and services. This so-called merger was later learned to be an acquisition of my company by the other company. The CEO and Founder of my company had actually been courting this other company for two years in an attempt to sell out.

I moved on to another retailer: this one a major national craft and hobby retailer, that was also struggling to become more successful. This company changed courses and direction so often that it was impossible to stay on track. After roughly half a year, I moved on again to my current employer.

I now work for a major retail chain that has been trying to reinvent itself for several years, through remodels, restructuring of the field heirarchy, changes in healthcare plans, uniforms, and compensation plans. I'm starting to see in my current position many of the same things that in other companies proved to be harbingers of doom.

I don't know if being bought out can accurately be referred to as doom, but there's a great deal of uncertainty involved when you work for a company that is being bought out. You never know what the structure of the company will be, if your job will remain secure, or even if your location will remain open or be closed.

I learned long ago to keep my resume online and keep myself in the job market. I review new job listings every day. I think it might be time to update my resume on all of the popular job sites. I'm concerned that my current company may be headed into troubled waters.

Joe