I think many people over estimate their value.  Few places really care...government doesn't care if they screw things up as long as the checks clear...same for most private businesses.   Private businesses realize they may loose some money, some of their stock value, but will eventually recover.  

However, if an employee held a patent on the businesses primary product, then the business just may have an employee they truly can't afford to loose.

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My predecessor (he was one of the original owners) once confided in me that he hated how easily I replaced him.

Probably the single best compliment I've ever received.

Essentially impossible due to the way ownership has changed and various rights to intellectual property and how it can be implemented.

The company I work for contractually can’t do the things that would be required for someone to gain my level of experience. I guess they could try to hire one of my former coworkers- but a significant number of the best of those people are retired, or have otherwise been out of it too long to be of much value.

It’s not so much a matter of working hard- but they’d probably have to hire 3-5 people who are good at certain things I am half decent at and could work together well.

I could be replaced, however, it’d suck for them over the next 6 months or so.

My job exists because I exist. I hope someday to find someone that is teachable enough and mechanically inclined enough to teach to do what I do. It doesn't pay a ton of money but I do okay.

Eta: My boss will be fine with or without me. I give him options no one else can give him. Our competitors try to match our service and they cannot.

There are hundreds of people who want my job. So they could replace me pretty easily if I quit.

The bosses would be bummed if I quit. But they could find someone new in 5 minutes

Yes. I wish a motherfucker would. I'd love to walk about just to watch them beg and squirm.

It would be difficult to replace me, but no one would care and my company would just stop selling and supporting the stuff I work on.

replace me with someone as competent/ as experienced / with a better attitude?  it would be difficult but not impossible.

replace me with an ass kissing mouth breather like they seem to prefer? Prolly have 2 lined up already.

My supervisor would be sad, we've had a lot of turn over recently.  The solids have stuck or even been attracted to my department.  However burnout is rearing it's head.  We need low level solid fill ins like crazy or the core burns out in short time quickly. I've  been offered  mid management,  but the juice isn't worth the squeeze, maybe as a recent collgraduate with bills over your head, but not for me.

I might entertain a soft Management  position for the evening, but I'' m not a corporate  mind reader.

My old boss from almost 10 years ago, called me this spring to see if I'd be interested in coming back.

It's not that I was great at anything, but I was pretty good at a lot of things. They didn't know what all I did, until I wasn't there to do them.

My current company has issues, but they know what I do for them. They keep me happy.

That is what is so weird about our industry.

The line to be a part of it, in front of the camera or behind is probably among the longest for any industry.

And yet....the same people get most of the work.  We are easily replaced. Hell, some might be better, but as you and I know, so many that are trying are NOT better. So folks tend to keep using the same people over and over. Million upon millions are on the line most times we tee up to get it on.

It is good to be in that loop, and that tends to come from a good reputation from kicking ass and getting shit done.

Every single one of us will be replaced, one way or another.

Aint no one getting out of here alive.  

Yep. A lot of people think they are owed a career in the film industry and learn the hard way that is not how it is. There is a reason me and my camera team are always working. Except for now due to the strikes. But once they end we go straight into prep for a show.

I have been able to pick up a few non-union shoots here and there luckily, during this down time.

I will die, but I will never be replaced.

Not only will you be replaced, one way or another....you will be forgotten.

I will be forgotten, but not replaced. My job was created for me because of who I am. I pray someone will take up the torch after I'm gone.

Your job does not make the world spin. If you stopped right now, people would not die. People would adapt.

I think people confuse how much it might suck for a small group of people, for some period of time, with "irreplaceable."

The Prophets died. The great kings died. The revolutionaries and the people that changed the world died....yet, here we are.

This. No one here should fool themselves.

You seem to think irreplaceable is the same as absolutely necessary. If I don't train a replacement it will cost my industry a hell of a lot of money when I die. My industry will go on. I make things go better. They can't just hire another me.

You may be hard to replace....but that is not irreplaceable.

Again, a brief period of hardship for a small group of people...yeah, some people have that kind of impact with what they do.

....but you will be replaced, one way or another and even forgotten.

You keep saying that but you don't know what you are saying and to whom. My job only exists because I do. It was a crazy idea an old friend had that worked. No one has done this job before and no imitators have done it so far. Repeating the same thing does not make it right.

There are irreplaceable people. It is okay to be one.

Because you can do it....so can others. You are not a supernatural being.  I have no idea with "whom" I speak....but you are not a powerful wizard or a mighty prophet.


But whatever you do, will not be lost to eternity if you stop. It may put your business out of business. It may really suck for some for a while....but life will go on and whatever you do, if the need is great enough to make it worth doing, will get done by others.

Everyone is replaceable no matter how hard it would be to replace

FPNI

There is a cost though. I run a large team and If you need to fire someone, you don't hesitate. Everyone is replaceable.

My boss has already said he's quitting the day I do.   oth of us are tired of herding cats.

They would find someone in time, then they’d have to teach them the ropes. Once that’s done then they’d have to learn how the different crews operate. Doable, but not easy

It would hurt them a tad as they are severely short handed, and it takes 7 weeks to train a class, and then they need to pass a fed background check which can take a month to over a year.

I answered difficult.  In some respects yes and others no.  

It took me over 4 years to get trained on all the stuff I do.  You can do it one part at a time but nothing is going to happen overnight for any of it.  In Feb I will be the ONLY person at my work that knows 5 main projects I do as my co-worker that has the same credentials is retiring.  We are supposed to have at least 3 so each of us could take vacation but obviously they failed on this.  They have NOBODY in the training pipeline to get trained though at least they did hire a new guy for my department but he doesn't even have access to the building yet.  If two others leave....... which both will walk the hell out if Kung flu lockdowns happen all over again.  I will have knowledge of over 50% of the projects of our entire staff of more than 7 but less than 10 of which nobody else currently is trained on.  They would be just like the new guy.

Not anyone else's fault but our management..... as from the last lockdowns they went stupid I guess.  I brought it up but nobody cares.  I will be a perfect test case if they bring back the jab mandates again, how much do they really want to push that test button.....because I was willing to loose my job the first round......my opinion of our Gov and all the other bullshit posted is not any better than it was 2-3 years ago.

To replace me tomorrow and not end up in the news they would have to put out an APB for someone in another location with my same credentials to take part of the workload I currently do.  Very possible but probably very costly at the same time.  If the other two leave they might still have to do this as when I get an emergency call and I am two hours away putting out another fire from their lack of planning some high level people are going to be pissed.  I will get my ass chewed and then resend the email to these high level people I sent to my boss of the situation.  Nice guy but lack the lack of experience shows, I gave the info but can't force him to use it.

I'd be replaced. but we have already had almost 50% turn over in the field in the last couple years and almost 100% in the office. they are running out of people to hire. out of our entire branch office staff (~ 20 people) only 2 have any hands on experience.

Jesus, dude. You're like the second coming of Charles de Gaulle.

Nope. My last job I took on a responsibility for something and did that full time which other people didn't want to do at all. After I left they split that duty amongst 4-5 other people which takes away time from what they are doing.

I still talk with a couple people who still work there one of which I just met for a drink this past weekend. They said its a shitshow and they have people calling out when its their day to do what I did full time

We've already spent multiple years trying to replace the last guy that left.

Might be different now that they laid off a ton of folks, though.  Lots of experienced people looking for work.

They'd replace me, but not at my level of competence.  I've been with the company almost 3 decades, that kind of experience and insider knowledge is hard to replace.