2 Things I Miss About Corporate Life

(And 20 I don’t…). 

Lynnelle here.  

Things I Miss About Corporate Life

#1 – Paycheck and Benefits:  

It’s easy to take the financial security for granted. Even if it’s not as much money or as good a benefit package as you need or want, the check comes every payday – BOOM. In the bank.   Need a prescription filled?  No problem. $10.  Twice a year dental visit; once a year mammogram – Done.   

Corporate Life Lynnelle

Without an employer’s insurance coverage, it’s different. I’m in the gray-zone; not covered by an employer’s program and not eligible for Medicare. Fortunately, I can subscribe to the COBRA program through January of 2018, so I’m good there. After that…

Well, like Scarlett, I’ll think about that tomorrow.

Other benefits are sadly missed. Want to advance your skills / education?  Great. The company will pick up the tab AND pay for your time to attend class and/or study.  Mid-2015 to April-2016 I studied for the International Corporate Treasury Certification.

Expense Report Item:  Bangers & Mash

In January 2016, I traveled to the UK for the 5-day required class sessions and in April, I sat for the exam at the UT testing center here in Austin. It’s an international designation but there were no US group testing locations. I lobbied to take the exam in Dubai, but the company’s benefit structure wouldn’t get me to Dubai.  Regardless – the certification, the material, the trip to London for the 5-day class sessions, the exam fee – all paid for. Thank God, I passed.

Yes, I miss the paycheck and benefits. It is so easy to take your paycheck and benefits for granted.

#2.  hmmmm

After sitting here for a few minutes, I’m struggling. Yes, I miss a few people but I keep in touch with them still. Yes, I miss a few clients but I keep in touch with them, too. Yes, I miss “the identity” … Lynnelle Wilson, VP, CertICM (Certification – International Cash Management). But, big whoop. BFD.  I am not what I do – I am known by what I do. It’s not who I am. So, my dilemma is not changing who I am, but redefining the “who” I’m known as. I’m Lynnelle Wilson, the writer, traveler and blogger – FKA (formerly known as) Lynnelle. Wilson, VP, International Cash Management Specialist. Ha! Good one.

This post was, originally, going to be 3 things I miss about corporate life…  but I couldn’t even come up with a second.

Things I Do NOT Miss About Corporate Life

There are so many things I do NOT miss about the corporate world, but I don’t want to be a negative Nellie and poopoo on anything or anyone. So here’s a general list… Things I do NOT miss about Corporate Life:

1. Commuting
2. Travel
3. Politics
4. Not being able to speak freely
5. Politics
6. Deceptive climbers
7. The new IT “Sales Program”– Sandler Sales, Socratic Sales, “Getting to Yes”, Consultative Sales, “The Challenger Sale”, on and on and on.
8. Politics
9. Alarm Clocks
10. 360 Reviews
11. Administrative bullshit
12. Politics
13. Gossip
14. The hours
15. Committees
16. Team Meetings
17. Politics
18. Top-down budgets
19. Client events and seminars
20. Ageism – Yes. It’s real. I’m still processing my recent corporate experience. While not overt, it was there. And it pisses me off.

Writer, Blogger Life Lynnelle

I could continue, but you get the idea.  I’m glad to be out of the corporate grind for a lot of reasons but really miss the security of a paycheck and benefits.  Even so, and even though it’s only been a few months – my life is so VERY much better now. So, I’ll end it here.

Oh, did I mention politics?

I don’t miss the corporate politics.

Barb Here

Things I Miss About Corporate Life

Pretty much nothing. Without even understanding my feelings I knew, way back in college, that I did not want to get duded up and interview with Proctor and Gamble, SAPI, or any of the large companies who deigned to send someone to flipping Orono, Maine for recruiting. I don’t do politics well (though that isn’t to say I haven’t encountered any), I like being able to move left, right, up, or down to talk with folks directly and get advice, help, or a ruling. That “going up the chain thing”—not so much.

Business Owner Barb

Years later it’s difficult to say whether I limited myself by those early choices or whether I simply made the best choice for me without even understanding it. Consequently, I changed careers (not just jobs) every 6 or 7 years, and had two stints of self-employment before this current metamorphosis. (One was financially disastrous and one was quite lucrative.)

This past two years have been a struggle as I had envisioned immediately getting temp jobs while I learned the market and found my niche. The more I made and the quicker I made it the quicker we could fix the boat and get out of here.

Yeah, that didn’t work.

Now, I’m a “Writer, Blogger, Sailor” and have the cards to prove it.

Two things I love about this?

1. Partnering with Lynnelle, who has always held me accountable while being a great cheerleader.

2. Knowing that when I start to make a bit of money, I can work it while we travel and keep the “Sailor” portion true.

For the win!