Niche Clarity Program

Career Article

Creating Your Own Security

• One of the biggest news stories of November was General Motors' announcement that it would lay off 30,000 hourly workers and close a number of operations across the United States and Canada.
• Hewlett Packard has also talked of laying off thousands of employees in a cost cutting strategy.
• In May 2005, IBM, one of HP's competitors announced plans to lay off 13,000 employees in Europe.
• Hurricane's Katrina and Rita were the catalyst for layoffs that impacted more than 250,000 employees.
• Even the Chicago Tribute and the Los Angeles Times are laying off parts of their staff due to changes in their industry.

Although it's tempting to say these stories don't affect me because...

...I'm not an hourly worker.
...I'm not a high tech worker.
...I don't live in Europe
...My area doesn't have hurricanes.
...I don't work for a newspaper.
...I work for a stable company with a long history.
...My job is secure.
...and the list goes on...

These five news stories tell us something none of us likes to acknowledge: Our economy is in a state of flux, and has been for some time.

Any number of factors impact a company's stability--from industry factors, the cost of oil, natural disasters, shifts in technology and more. In this economy, companies need to be flexible enough and fluid enough to weather the shifts in the economic tides. They may need to cut workers here and add workers there--quickly--to keep a float.

Most of us didn't grow up with this kind of fluidity:

• We grew up believing that sticking with a company through thick and thin was a sign of success.
• We grew up believing our employer was committed to our success.
• We grew up thinking that as long as we were employed by a name company, we were safe.

Yet there are plenty of signs telling us that times have changed. In fact, if we acknowledge what we see, we realize the five news stories at the beginning of this article are just the tip of the iceberg.

• From experience we know that a long tenure at one company is rare these days.
• Those who have been laid off more than once realize they can no longer depend on their employer for security.
• If we can't depend on an external source for security, we must all be responsible for our own careers and security.

Security Resides Within

You can enhance your own sense of security by:

• Keeping your skills current. Let your company pay for your conferences and training. If there's a skill you want to learn that they won't pay for, pay for it yourself if you have to. Your skill set is an essential part of your ticket to security.
  
• Cultivating an active network of professionals in your current field and other fields you may want to move into later in your career. We all know the adage--it's who you know. Use your time now to build relationships with people who are well connected in your field.

• Knowing what's going on within your industry/profession. Plug into your professional association to follow the trends as they unfold. The more you know about what's to come, the more likely you are to be ahead of the game when you must make decisions.
  
• Acknowledging clues that say change is coming your way. The sooner you see the signs of change, the more options you have to choose from.
  
• Targeting your next career move--now--while you have a dependable paycheck coming in. Whether you make a subtle career shift or a more dramatic career change, having a clear picture of your next career helps you make better short term decisions about which training options to take, with whom to network, and which extra projects you want to take on to build your experience.

In Your Search for Security Don't Fall into These Traps

I know it's unnerving to think about your next career move when you feel reasonably secure in your current job, but consider this...

-- If you feel disloyal thinking about a career move that doesn't include your current employer...

Then think about how much your employer is thinking about your needs as they make plans to restructure, downsize, merge, or sell to the highest bidder. Even the most humane company must make decisions at times that are pure business. Your main mission is to take care of yourself.

-- If you fear that putting a career change in motion makes you feel like a snowball rolling uncontrollably down hill...

Then switch your mind set. Discovering your next career doesn't take away your power; it gives you more power by allowing you to make sound short term decisions that move you closer to your goal--beginning Now! With power, you can choose when and how you play your cards.

-- If you feel other areas of your personal life or your financial situation mean that you aren't in a good position to initiate a career change...

Then take a moment for a reality check. If you lost your job tomorrow would your personal and financial situation get better or worse? My guess is worse. Even if you can just think about your strategy, you are in a better position than if you put it off indefinitely. If being out of work would cause harm to your family, it's critical that you begin looking at your options and strategizing the steps you'd take if your work situation became unstable.

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