Unless we understand vastly different things by "job security", I have some bad news for you.
Recent years showed that even large, profitable companies with significant cash reserves -- that had a reputation of high level of job security -- are ready to do layoffs as a sacrifice to the gods of Wall Street.
I guess _relative_ job security is what I'm hoping for. I realize there are few career paths that guarantee employment (perhaps medicine being the main exception), but despite the FAANG layoffs and whatnot, wouldn't it still be correct to say working at a somewhat well-established company is safer than working independently?
Not necessarily. I think that employment has a higher job security floor but a lower job security ceiling.
_In a way_, employment is like having a single client. You have smaller variance month to month but are more prone to unexpected events in the company you work for.
You can build financial resilience by having multiple (preferably diverse) clients.
Another thing to take into account is that you are not in control of being laid off or a client not extending their contract with you. But you are in control of your own savings. And this applies in both scenarios.
At least FAANG and well-funded startups did a lot of overhiring. When thinking about stable jobs I have classically boring ones in mind, such as ones in utilities or defense
Unless we understand vastly different things by "job security", I have some bad news for you.
Recent years showed that even large, profitable companies with significant cash reserves -- that had a reputation of high level of job security -- are ready to do layoffs as a sacrifice to the gods of Wall Street.