> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://blog.annabyang.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Let’s Retire the Phrase “Gainfully Employed” - URL: https://blog.annabyang.com/retire-the-phrase-gainfully-employed/ - Published: 2022-05-18T17:52:50.000Z - Updated: 2026-03-13T08:50:56.000Z - Description: Stop celebrating a steady paycheck as a career win. - Author: Anna Burgess Yang - Tags: Work and Career In 2021, I joined The Great Resignation and quit my job. I’d been with the same fintech for 15 years and decided I’d had enough. Not only did I leave my job, but I also embarked on a new career, pivoting into content marketing and journalism. The huge shift has had some challenges. I spent eight months at a marketing agency before moving to a different agency. I (willfully) took an enormous pay cut when I left fintech, so I’ve maintained some freelance clients on the side. And I’m trying to build up my own portfolio of work — all while there’s a global pandemic going on. But overall, I’ve been [immensely satisfied](https://blog.annabyang.com/what-i-learned-about-myself-this-year/) with the change. I work with some amazingly talented people. I find the work both professionally and personally fulfilling. And I’ve climbed out of the rut that I was stuck in for years. ## Employers aren’t benefactors I was talking about everything I’ve gained with someone recently. His response was, “Sure, but your prior employer kept you gainfully employed for a long time.” At first, I didn’t know how to respond. Yes, I had a steady paycheck for many years. Yes, I received promotions and climbed through the ranks. But I also witnessed some pretty [toxic behaviors](https://www.workbetter.media/p/resilient-at-work?ref=blog.annabyang.com). I saw senior employees belittle their teammates. I saw mediocre employees routinely praised, even when their work (or lack thereof) had a detrimental effect on the organization. And I watched inept people in leadership roles make decision after decision that negatively impacted the lives of the employees working so hard and threatened the company’s future. It took a pandemic for me to realize the toll that it was taking on me. I was burned out and unhappy. It’s a mistake (and an outdated mindset) to think that a paycheck gives employers permission to run a company however they see fit. We’re not talking about widgets that turn on/off at the start and end of each workday. We’re talking about *people* whose health, relationships, and self-worth are impacted by their experiences at a job. [Free Yourself from a Toxic Work EnvironmentQuit the lousy job or the bad boss and steer your own career.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fe/e9/fee9a30d-4c70-4bd2-af95-fe6abc8afd29/content/images/icon/annabyang-logo-dk-blue.png)Anna Burgess YangAnna Burgess Yang![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/fe/e9/fee9a30d-4c70-4bd2-af95-fe6abc8afd29/content/images/thumbnail/1-dcrj1slia8gjr5onhmm9qw-2.png)](https://blog.annabyang.com/free-yourself-from-a-toxic-work-environment/) ## What I gained from past work experience Looking back on my career, the paycheck and steady employment weren’t my rewards for showing up day after day. I could have gotten those things elsewhere — my prior employers were not the sole option. But like many elder Millennials groomed by Gen X, I thought [climbing the career ladder](https://blog.annabyang.com/treat-your-career-like-a-portfolio/) was the only path to success. I followed in the footsteps of generations of employees (and women in particular), thinking that “gainful employment” *was* a fair exchange for my loyalty and compliance. I was wrong. And I don’t owe gratitude in exchange for the “gainful employment” that I had for so many years. It was a two-way transaction: I contributed my time and expertise and received a paycheck in return. But from those experiences, I’ve learned what I *won’t* tolerate anymore. I’ve [put up better boundaries](https://www.workbetter.media/p/i-am-never-going-back-to?ref=blog.annabyang.com) for myself and encouraged others to do the same. And — by contrast — I can appreciate the kindness and support of the colleagues I have the pleasure of working with now. I’m more than the paycheck I receive; I feel that the work I contribute makes a difference. So let’s stop thinking that “gainful employment” is enough. It’s not. A paycheck is the bare minimum an employer can provide. A meaningful exchange for the employee’s time and talent includes emphasis on employee wellbeing, a supportive work environment, and opportunities for personal and professional growth. --- *You can read about the future of work and career pivots on my* [*Substack*](https://annabyang.substack.com/)*.*