Fast Company article for February 1999 "Insanity Inc." By Chuck Salter January issue, page 101 Prepared by Vince Crary

This company is not for me!

The article focuses on Trilogy Software Inc. According to the author, Trilogy is one of the fastest-growing software companies.

Trilogy sounds a bit like SAS Institute Inc., the company I wrote about for my January Fast Company article. Both companies realize the importance of top-notch employees. Trilogy wages an all out battle to hire the brightest people coming out of college each year. The article tells about all the recruitment efforts Trilogy goes through.

Why would I not like to work at a company like Trilogy? I get the impression the company feels it should be the focus of its employees' lives. One quote from the article: "If you want to be a part of it only 40 or 50 hours a week, because you have a family, that's fine." Maybe it's because I am 52 years old, maybe it's because I don't like what sounds like the typical Trilogy employee thought all you did in life was work, work, work to get ahead; however, I feel more than those two reasons. I just would not enjoy or functions well in a company that expects dawn to dusk work habits, needing to talk the talk of the company, and feeling I had to recreate with my co-workers.

To me, Extension is the ideal job in that educators have freedom to do their work. Extension, like SAS or Trilogy offers great benefits and a work atmosphere where you can accomplish a lot and help people.

Discussion: In talking with others about the "Insanity Inc." article, they agreed with my point of view. I know we tend to be with people with similar interests, but I found no one that felt a desire to send Trilogy a resume.

-- Anonymous, February 14, 1999

Answers

Trilogy certainly sounds like an organization that would work well for the young professional who is very interested in the Fast Track to get ahead in his/her career. I think for those of us who have done that at an earlier age, or who have seen how wonderful our current jobs are, it would be impossible to work under those conditions. I appreciate your comments on this article.

-- Anonymous, April 19, 1999