Given the present economic challenges all over the word and particularly here in Nigeria, losing one's job is one of the most challenging thing anyone can experience. Its capable of leading to economic difficulty, especially if the victim wasn't prepared for such an event, and could lead to depression and other issues. A friend called me about two months ago and told me how he had lost his job. Its not being easy for himself and his family. Its just advisable that the gainfully employed must be prepared for such eventualities. I tried to put myself in his shoes and it wasn't funny a though at all. We can learn from the challenges and experiences of others. This event led me to critical thought about the future. Its the ideas from that process of thought I'm sharing here. And majority of the article was culled from: http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newCDV_81.htm
How will your job be different five years from now? Will your job exist in its present form in five years? In 10 or even 20 years? And over this time, what will happen to the company and industry you work for? We really don't know what the future holds. What we do know for certain is that change is a constant in the workplace. This means that what we are doing NOW will be different in the future.
How can we predict and prepare for this workplace of the future? What should you be doing now to make sure you don't find yourself facing a dead end in your career, with no opportunity to change direction without crashing?
Get and remain tech-savvy
Much of the change we see has to do with new technology. We keep finding faster and leaner ways to do things. Force yourself to keep your technical skills current, even if new developments don't seem to be related to your current job. Otherwise, you'll get left behind and may have to catch up a huge amount before you can get off in a new direction in the future. If you're in a highly technical field of work, be proactive and stay current-even when your company doesn't.
Develop your competences, skills and experience
Along with technical skills, it is critically important to continue your professional development to remain in demand in the workplace. You need to develop the transferable skills that are universally sought by employers. Leadership, communication, innovation, stress management and interpersonal skills are all fundamental requirements of the jobs of today and tomorrow. Majority of these skills can be learned online. Free. Here are some ways to do this:
* Choose two competencies or skills to improve each year. Monitor and track your progress.
* Develop a five year learning plan to acquire the knowledge and education you need.
The HSE profession is a very dynamic and challenging one. Hitherto this period, it was relegated and limited to identifying hazardous conditions and mitigating their possible outcomes. Now, its gone far beyond that. We now study human behavior, emotional intelligence, statistics, history, environmental modeling and quality management systems. I had to learn all these on my one. And for the past 3 years, I've not failed to ensure I take at least one HSE certification. I must be prepared for the future. The only way to guarantee the future is to invent it.
You've Got to have more than ONE skill
For economic safety of the future, you must have more than one skill. Beyond a certain stage in your career and in uncertain environments, specialization is no longer the route of choice. It can pay off for some; however, it has a very high risk of obsolescence attached to it. Its very risky. Your specific technical skills may get out of date. That's why you see nurses with business skills and technology experts with financial experience. A broad range of competencies, skills and abilities can help you secure a new job or may even open the door to working in a new industry. Aside from being a HSE professional, I can teach music theory alongside the piano( though I'm still maturing). I'm also seriously working towards becoming a motivational speaker. I just need to learn all I can.
Think globally
In many industries, geographical barriers to business are getting less and less relevant. Your co-workers, clients and stakeholders now and in the future can be from anywhere in the world. You need to acquire the ability to work within the international marketplace by:
• Learning about working with diverse cultures.
•Asking for assignments that require international exposure.
•Learning another language.
The more experience you get, the more confidence you will have when working in the global marketplace. This will make you much more attractive to employers of the future. I recall running a safety pep talk. We had a French worker amongst us, who spoke scanty English. It wasn't easy at all. Luckily for us, we had a Nigerian who could speak French fluently. He became the interpreter. The two workers later became very close friends.
Create and maintain a success journal
The time to start thinking about your accomplishments and skills is not when you are looking for a new job. You have to be proactive and take continuous inventory of what you do really well, the accolades you have been given and the noteworthy results you've been responsible for. Employers want to know what you will do for them. When you have a ready list of things you have done, it is much easier to recall your most relevant rewards and skills.
•Track your duties, projects and results.
•Keep a list of professional development activities you've participated in.
•List the training you've completed.
•Note your volunteer work.
•File your performance reviews and the written letters and emails you receive that note your performance.
Build and maintain a professional network
You should be developing relationships with people both within and outside your organization. These people will be invaluable as the landscape of work changes. They can bring you along with them as they weather the changes and can provide opportunities when your current position looks a bit uncertain. When you add a mentor or two to your network, you have the added bonus of learning new skills, technologies and strategies that will help you move your career in the direction you want.
•Collect business cards.
•Keep track of former bosses and colleagues.
•Join professional networking associations.
•Participate in a wide range of activities and build relationships beyond your current career or industry.
Nairaland means different things to different people. Away from the normal political section gists, I've been able to build a vey formidable network of political and career friends. Your networth is equal to your network. Take advantage of the vision of Seun in giving us this platform. Build your friends. Scan the right ones that will make your life more meaningful.
Scan the environment
Be aware of changes and trends in the economy, your profession and the industry you are in. No one can accurately predict the future; however, stay ahead of the crowd by keeping yourself informed and choosing to work in industries and for employers that have long-term sustainability.
Keep a clear career path open
You may be fortunate enough to be in an organization where there's a clear and attractive career path ahead of you. For many, this will not be the case.
This may not be a problem if you're in a fast growth industry – if you're good at what you do, opportunities will most-likely appear with alarming regularity. However if you're in a slow growth industry or are one in decline, then this is a problem: There may be no onward path, and development may be blocked, however hard you work. This will lead to frustration, boredom and, in the long term, failure to achieve your potential.
This is where you need to review your options and take action to unblock your career, even if it means a job- or career-change.
Develop resilience
Because the future is uncertain, you will probably encounter setbacks no matter how much you prepare and plan. People who will emerge successful are those with the ability to bounce back and consider such setbacks as learning experiences.
•Evaluate and affirm your strengths on a regular basis.
•Develop realistic and achievable goals, monitor your progress and identify what is holding you back.
•Build your flexibility and maintain your enthusiasm despite what is happening around you.
All of these techniques can be very useful as you begin to plan and prepare for your future career(s). And they all have in common the elements of risk management and career planning. You need to become good at both to secure your future career.
If we must secure our career, we must plan TODAY. While we do not pray that people lose their jobs, we encourage them to be prepared for the worst. These sad events happen. We must be proactive with our lives. And for those who are believing God and working hard to get a job, I wish you all the best.
