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Once I inform individuals how lengthy I’ve been at Buffer — eight years at the moment — individuals typically have quite a lot of questions. However probably the most frequent is, “Why have you ever stayed so lengthy?”
Eight years is an unusually very long time to be at one firm in tech. It’s additionally an unusually very long time amongst most of my good friend group besides those that work in additional conventional jobs, say in instructing or in authorities.
So why have I stayed?
My brief reply is normally the identical — it’s the individuals and the product. I actually get pleasure from working alongside the Buffer staff, and I’m additionally an avid person of the product for my private social media accounts and have been since 2013. I actually worth the power I really feel from working alongside a gaggle of proficient and pushed teammates and being constantly desirous about what we’re all engaged on. I like that I’m keen to listen to what the product staff is doing as a result of it impacts my weekly content material workflows.
That’s the brief reply — I’m nonetheless right here due to the individuals and the product, and it’s true. However I wished to take the chance of hitting a brand new milestone to do some little bit of an extended put up and a deeper reflection as a result of it’s greater than that. The individuals and the product make my work far more gratifying, fascinating, and related, however that isn’t all the pieces.
Typically, staying is the onerous possibility
I’ve been at Buffer via numerous job markets, and Buffer’s model identify carries weight. I’ve had many recruiters attain out over time about new and fascinating roles. I’ve had connections introduce me to somebody who was eager to rent me. I used to be at Buffer throughout what was later referred to as the Nice Resignation when a number of of my teammates, some additionally buddies, selected to maneuver on to different firms. The job market was very robust on the time for my space; there have been quite a lot of unbelievable alternatives, and once you see most of your friends transferring on, it’s onerous to not ask, “Ought to I be doing the identical?” And doubtlessly the strongest pull — I had my first little one whereas at Buffer and struggled to return to phrases with coming again to work and balancing having a child a number of months previous at dwelling.
I’ve stayed via all of it, and I haven’t simply stayed as a result of it was the simpler possibility. Once I got here again from household go away, it coincided with the Nice Resignation — I used to be adjusting to having a child at dwelling and dealing whereas our Advertising staff was severely understaffed, and I began transferring right into a management place on the staff. It was a very difficult time in each thrilling and onerous methods. Typically, staying was the tougher possibility, however it was nonetheless the choice that I wished.
I proceed to be challenged
One of the recurring issues I’ll have a number of buddies inform me is that it’s higher in your profession to maneuver to a distinct firm. You may typically get increased pay, get promoted rapidly, and be taught new issues at a really quick fee. Whereas I agree that these are all true, I’m additionally nonetheless studying and rising at Buffer.
My position has modified solely since I’ve been working at Buffer; I went from purely a person contributor to somebody who’s each a person contributor and managing a staff. Once I joined Buffer, my work was closely targeted on media relations. Over time, that began to shift to incorporate content material, wider firm, communications, and now Buffer’s model. The change has been a welcome one to proceed to push me to be taught new expertise and get deep into new areas of Advertising.
I additionally moved right into a management place inside the Advertising staff, and I proceed to work on participating and complicated challenges which are key to Buffer’s model and enterprise. I’m not doing the identical job I used to be employed to do eight years in the past, which is strictly how I might need it. I’ve discovered a lot from taking over new tasks and making an attempt to achieve new outcomes over time.
Buffer pays me pretty and generously
It’s necessary to share that another excuse to remain at any firm is compensation. One in every of Buffer’s compensation ideas is generosity, and I’ve discovered that to be true. My beginning wage at Buffer was $82,790, which was greater than double my earlier wage of $37,500. Over the past eight years, my wage has continued to go up both as a result of I used to be advancing in my work or as a result of Buffer was adjusting to market charges with our strategy to truthful compensation. My present wage is $172,861 — greater than double what it was once I began at Buffer eight years in the past.
This wouldn’t be the case for everybody on the staff who has been at Buffer for a very long time as a result of they got here in at completely different ranges, and their roles may need shifted lower than mine. I joined at a reasonably junior degree and have labored my manner over time to tackle extra possession. Now, I’m working a part of our Advertising staff, so my compensation has adjusted pretty with the work and tasks I’ve taken on. That is additionally distinctive — not each firm has a clear and truthful wage system that may proceed to regulate with me over time. For some individuals I do know, transferring to a brand new firm has been the one manner for them to extend their wage. I haven’t had that challenge.
Deep data and context are including to my work
Being in a single place for therefore lengthy may simply be seen as a foul factor — perhaps I’m stagnant, I’m not including new concepts, I’m persevering with to do issues the way in which they was. This one is the toughest to grapple with as a result of there may be quite a lot of reality. I may simply discover myself caught, and I’ve been in that place over time. This solely provides to the problem, although. Can I discover new views from friends in my business or via continuous studying and experimentation? Can I query the way in which that I do work in order that we aren’t staying frozen with an previous technique?
Over time, I consider I’ve managed to flip my longevity from one thing that might be a detraction from the worth I carry the staff to being one in every of my distinctive superpowers inside Buffer. Since my work is so near Buffer’s model, and I’m steadily working to share Buffer’s tradition externally, that context continues to be additive. I’ve accrued a wealth of data about Buffer particularly, and that context permits me to contribute extra successfully and strategically. It is not nearly doing issues the way in which they’ve at all times been carried out; it is about utilizing the depth of understanding to innovate and information the model ahead.
Buffer is one thing I need to be part of
What it involves is that I consider in Buffer, and that is one thing I need to be part of. With Buffer, not solely is our staff constructing an important device for individuals who don’t have giant budgets — creators and small enterprise house owners — however Buffer as an organization can be being inbuilt a really intentional manner. We’re totally clear with our pricing, our salaries, and plenty of different components of Buffer are clear.
Joel Gascoigne, Buffer’s Founder and CEO, is extraordinarily intentional concerning the choices that he makes for the Buffer staff and firm. He applied a four-day workweek through the pandemic due to the danger he noticed of burnout; we have now a beneficiant sabbatical coverage as a result of we all know that after 5 years of working someplace, a bit of additional house for relaxation and reflection can significantly assist. It’s the sort of office the place there are quite a lot of causes to remain, and lots of people do.
Lots of people keep at Buffer for a very long time
I’m not the exception by being at Buffer for eight years; there are quite a lot of teammates who’ve been right here for much longer than I’ve. Once we seemed on the numbers in November for Buffer’s 13-year anniversary, we discovered that 49 p.c of the staff has been at Buffer for over 5 years, one other 39 p.c have been at Buffer for seven years, and 6 p.c have been on the staff for greater than a decade. Buffer is being constructed to be a long-term firm, and there are lots of people on the staff dedicated to persevering with to be at Buffer for the lengthy haul as properly.
I’m certain I’ll proceed to get requested why I’ve stayed at Buffer for therefore lengthy by buddies and business friends — my story remains to be fairly uncommon. However, whereas it’s troublesome in tech to search out firms which have a extra long-term strategy to constructing a enterprise, it’s not not possible. I love the leaders who discover these long-term alternatives, and after eight years of feeling completely happy, challenged, and within the work on daily basis, I’m thrilled to be one in every of them.
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