This is an exercise you may want to try. Assume you lose your job in two weeks. What would you do? Do you have a powerful strategy that you’ve thought through? Do you have the skill to write a compelling resume so a hiring manager says, “This is a strong candidate that I really must talk with!”
The reason you need to give these issues some thought is the number of people I work with who find themselves coming from a safe, long term and comfortable position only to become a statistic in the ever changing work world. How? Let me list some of the ways:
Downsized – Business is slow or your unit is seen as expendable
Merged/Acquired – Your company, division or business-line is merged with another
Outsourced – Your function is being performed by an outside agency
Reorganization – The business is being rearranged and you’re not a part of it
Functional change – Jobs are compressed and yours is integrated into another
Separated/terminated – May be for performance or non-performance reasons
Separated/terminated – If it’s for cause, that’s a real problem and you need expert help
The point being, you never know what’s going to happen in the marketplace. It might impact you either directly or indirectly. Here are some simple steps to keep ahead of the problem, while maintaining a strategic career plan over the next 10 years:
Ask yourself the question, “Where do I want to be 10 years from now?”
Outline a strategy of moves that will get you closer to that goal: Education, certifications, skills development, expanded responsibilities, or other?
Identify those things you must do in order to achieve the list above
Keep your resume updated and compelling, defining your specific achievements and results
Develop a Matrix of people who can connect you into the active marketplace of openings
Talk to an expert about the preparations you need to make, just in case
Understand that when you are in jeopardy, the worst thing to do is nothing. Hoping it will all go away or that you are too valuable to be affected is naïve. Many a career has been destroyed by a lack of preparation. Here are some tips:
If you start getting unannounced calls from recruiters, take notice. Something may be afoot.
Don’t discount rumors about organizational change. Dig deeper with research into your industry, competitive activities and financial information.
Understand that once major change becomes public, there’s a rush to the doors. You’ll want to be one of the first ones out. You don’t want to be the last one when all the available potential jobs will be taken by those who moved faster than you did.
Preparation is the key. Be ready, even if you have no concern. It may save your career. And if you find yourself in a “dismissed” position, contact me a.s.a.p.
Want a FREE critique of your resume? Send it to: wkaufmann44@gmail.com
Want more information about your options in the marketplace? Mygreenerfuture1@gmail.com