As someone on his second post-university job, this BNet post is interesting. My father, or my grandfather, could have expected to hold a job for 20 years if he wanted to.
And yet, none of my classmates would ever expect that kind of job security - we're constantly being told "that's not how we do business any more." Goodbye, guaranteed career employment. Sayonarra, pensions. No more "lifers" or going career.
This article quotes a Knowledge @ Wharton piece featuring the following company dilemma
“a talented and highly trained adjustor from another insurance company. While the hiring company provided high-end insurance with a strong emphasis on customer service, the adjustor came from a company that was more focused on keeping costs down… the adjustor just could not help himself from “nickel and diming” customers on their claims, even though that attitude conflicted sharply with the firm’s strategic direction and culture.”
Part of me thinks this is a pretty inflammatory article- heck, I clicked on it!- I think the company referenced made a poor hiring choice. The helpful approach to this issue would be about how to see a previous company's culture in the screening process.
Any company worth its salt should be willing to make a significant investment training and retaining employees committed to the company's goals and culture. This article makes me wonder how a firm that feels it is facing issues hiring employees from outside should react - on a corporate strategy level- by creating a talent acquisition program for young employees and giving them the impression that the company can secure their future.
I know big firms like GE and IBM have programs like this, and I know a few people who got offers in various rotational training programs for Wells Fargo or the like, but the thing is: most of them didn't take those jobs. If you want to have a compnay whose profitability is driven by adherence to a customer service culture, you're better off following Zappos example than by worrying about where your employees come from.