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With Job Security Gone, Here’s What To Do

– Contributed content –

Job application form

(athree23, Pixabay)

8 Jan. 2019. The time is gone when job security was a constant. In the past, most people had one or two jobs during their lifetime. Unfortunately, times have changed. Why? There are a number of reasons, including the following.

  • Employers are looking to save money by offering zero-hour contracts.
  • Money is also saved through outsourcing, so there is less need for full-time employees on payroll.
  • Thanks to the rise of online shopping and other internet businesses, high street job roles are diminishing.
  • In this technological age, redundancies are being made in some industries because workers are being replaced by automated practices.

As Bob Dylan so eloquently sang, ‘the times they are a changing.’

So what does that mean for you? If you are working on a zero-hour contract, or if you are in a job where redundancies are commonplace, then you need to take steps to future-proof your place in today’s workplace.

You should focus on the following.

a) Make yourself indispensable to your employer. This means proving your worth through your work ethic, actively making a difference to company profits, and learning new skills, so your employer doesn’t need to outsource certain tasks, or replace you with a robot!

b) Keep an eye on the job market. What other jobs are you qualified to do? Where else might your skills lie? Look for vacancies, research other companies, and network with the people who might be able to help you into work should you one day find yourself without a job.

c) Work on your online presence, such as improving your LinkedIn and Facebook profiles to make yourself attractive to other employers. While they might headhunt you online if they think you have what it takes, you might also send links to your online profiles to other companies to put yourself on their radar.

d) Think about a change in career, especially in those industries where there is less risk of redundancy and robot invasion. Safe jobs include those that are people-centric, such as teaching, nursing, and social work, and those that require creative skills, such as copywriting and graphic design. You might even start training for another career while you’re in your current position, taking such courses as these MSW classes online so the transition will be a smoother one.

e) Prepare yourself financially, just in case the unthinkable does happen, and you lose your job. Now is the time to start saving more money each month, putting into action an emergency fund to give you the means to cope when and if you find yourself out of work. Take note of these money-management tips too, ensuring you have wisdom on your side when dealing with your finances.

In a perfect world, your job would be secure, and you would have nothing to worry about. However, we are living in a world where this is no longer realistic, so the onus is on you to prepare yourself for the future. We hope the suggestions in this article were useful to you.

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