Pamela Skillings is a member of the NY Incubator and the founder of Skillful Communications, a marketing consulting and copywriting agency. Pamela is also a journalist and the author of the upcoming Random House book, Escape from Corporate America.
After twelve long years climbing the corporate ladder, I had all of the things that I thought I wanted. A six-figure salary, a fancy title, and an office with a view.
I had a “good job”, but I was miserable. Why? My job was demanding, but not challenging. Nothing about my work seemed meaningful or exciting anymore. I had finally climbed far enough up the ladder to see that I had no interest in climbing any higher. Worst of all, I was sick of feeling like a fraud.
My job dissatisfaction eventually had very visible effects on my personality. I was tired, I was cranky, and I was fat. I was tired of working endless hours, cranky about feeling trapped, and fat because the highlights of my day had become lunch and happy hour. Clearly, something had to give.
When I told my boss and co-workers that I was leaving to start my own consulting business, most of them thought I was insane. “Are you sure?” was the most popular response to my exciting news. They could understand the impulse – all of us had suffered together through countless layoffs and reorganizations and we were exhausted. But wasn’t I being a bit too hasty?
I felt like I had already waited too long. It was an undeniably scary, but unquestionably necessary move. I have never regretted the decision for a minute, not even during those scary first months when money was tight.
In fact, my launching experience inspired me to write a book to help others who feel stuck in Corporate America. I have interviewed dozens of experts and successful people inside and outside of Corporate America. Please email me if you’d like to learn more about the book or if you are interested in contributing your story.
Your story is very inspiring. I am sooo looking for the day when I too can leave Corporate America, but have constant thoughts of how I can leave my job without a husband to pay the bills until the business is self-sustaining. I would love to hear stories of how women left their jobs to start businesses, when they were the sole bread winners.
Posted by: Robin | December 12, 2006 at 07:53 PM
Pamela,
Congratulations for leaving the corporate culture of politics and deceit. Your realization that “Worst of all, I was sick of feeling like a fraud.” was quite important. As a person rises higher in the corporate culture they must learn to shirk all responsibility and focus on doing only what the people in the organization who control their jobs, their salary and their status want, regardless if doing so benefits or hurts the organization or their employees. In essence, people rise to higher executive positions in corporations because they know who to butter up to and how to do it with loyalty, and not because they are better leaders or more effective in managing the corporation. Look at Kenneth Lay and the others how they pillaged the corporations then denied any responsibility. You discovered this fraud and chose a life of integrity and honesty. I commend you. You are not alone. Many people have realized the same truths, and hopefully your story will touch the hearts of many more after you.
Yet, the overwhelming power of corporations many times overwhelms the myths of executive competence by covering up the truths of fraud you discovered. Keep telling your story. It is worth repeating.
Posted by: Bill Dueease | January 20, 2007 at 08:02 PM