Is There Any More Loyalty in this Business?

In the ever growing era of layoffs and buy outs, is there any loyalty in this business anymore? I figure there is a reason why we don't sign contracts, because the job is so transient. If you're a writer, you're looking to move up until you are happy with where you are. If you're an editor, what exactly are you looking for out of writers? Do you want someone to stay for their length of time and pound out good copy, while not giving you an exact time frame of staying? Do you feel jilted if someone leaves after 3 months to accept a better position at another paper? Thoughts?

 

If I'm your editor, and you get a better offer making more money in a city in which you'd rather live at a paper for which you'd rather work, I'd expect you to take that offer, even if I hired you yesterday. (However, I'd also expect you to repay any money we gave you toward relocation.) At-will employment works both ways, I say.

 

I worked at a paper that felt jilted when ever any of the news staff left, no matter how long they had been there. Not that management did anything to inspire any kind of loyalty among the staff. But I found it amazing that they were surprised that people didn't want to work there forever.

 

an editor once told me that no matter where you go, journalism is a small world. someone out there probably knows someone that you screwed over once upon a time, so if you are going to leave it is best to do it on good terms.

to me, that sounded all nice and stuff, but in the real world i figured i had just better have a pretty good reason. even if the place i was leaving wasn't happy about the decision, if i had a good reason, i could sleep well at night and not worry about potential jobs i had just flushed.

 

I have always tried to be a loyal employee. Sometimes it ain't that easy. And that loyalty has been repaid sometimes, but on balance I have to say it hasn't. In at least one case, it seems to me there was an almost psychopathic desire to punish me for trying to be loyal, by people who didn't grok that kind of thinking.

You are, at the end of the day, your own CEO. You have to make the best decisions for you.

 

I've wondered the same thing. As a youngster in the business, I always read about papers laying off older writers and the talk of hiring "young and cheap" writers. Where does it end or begin though? A goal in any business is to put yourself in the best possible position. But at what price?

 

There never was loyalty.

 

That is the adult equivalent of being told in elementary school that if you do something wrong it will go in your permanent record.
Just complete and utter horseshit. If you have talent, you'll get hired.
Expect none, get none. At least in terms of loyalty. Just do the job as best you can.

 

This is why you look out for No. 1.

Sports editors will often say things like, "Well, I gave you your shot." or "I can't believe you would consider leaving." and then a few months later they're asking people to take buyouts.

If you're loyal to your paper. You're a fool. I guarantee you your paper would not be loyal to you.

 

If you're talented, yes, you will get hired somewhere.

But there will be people who have long memories and friends with friends in the business. We all know how the pipelines work. Tossing gas on the door and flinging a match when you leave will be remembered.

The karma is when you move on and one day the manager who shit on you calls needing something from your paper. Maybe they are trying to get a job at your shop.

It is then when you may be in the position to say, "That woman is a bitch and doesn't deserve our help" or "That guy is an idiot and a bad manager."

The long memories about lack of loyalty, respect or basic decency can work both ways.

 

I once turned down an interview covering the NBA beat at a major metro because I had just taken a college beat in a college town (hadn't even started yet).

I'm essentially over it, but any time I feel slighted - small raise, no raise, travel cut - my mind will wander back, at least momentarily, to the one chance I had at the big time.

I probably did the right thing, though. The noble thing.