On a personal note, I left the corporate world 20+ years ago and never looked back. I have recruiters calling me weekly to go back to work for a corporation, and not even large bonuses will get me to look at their proposals. Here are some things to consider. Keep in mind I’m biased against corporations because I see how they act or how they have acted in the past.
- The days of the corporation being loyal to you and taking care of you until retirement are long gone. You really should not be loyal back to them. Always keep an open mind and have an open door to a better situation with more money and better benefits. I have people tell me they feel like they’re cheating on their employer if they look for greener pastures. I assure you they aren’t.
- I put a high price on the fact that I can come and go as I please. I’m my own boss. Nobody tells me when to be in the office or sets a quota for me to make in a month.
- You have to be a self starter and motivator. If you need a team approach to motivate yourself to make money, working completely on your own may not be the best fit for you. In that case, you can look for other people in your field to partner with while still being self-employed.
- There is a trend to people being independent contractors for corporations. The individual has more freedom to work where they want (from home or office) and can contract with the highest bidder.
Lastly, don’t let the benefits be the reason to stay in a job you hate and have to fight for every few months. There is a price for benefits and you can manage it on your own.