Only Three Types of People Are Guaranteed Continuing Employment. Do You Make The List?
We are working on a sequel to our last book which explained how to deal with uncertainty in all forms. Clearly, there is nothing more uncertain today than trying to predict if you are going to have a job tomorrow. So, that is going to be the focus of book two.
The Donald is right. You could be fired.
As far as we can tell, there are only three types of people who can depend on continuing employment.
1. Skilled tradesmen like plumbers and electricians. Their only concern, other than the overall health of the economy—which, of course, is no small thing—is the increasing trend toward using plug-in parts. When customers can do the work themselves—quickly, safely and for less cost—there is little reason to hire you.
1. Skilled tradesmen like plumbers and electricians. Their only concern, other than the overall health of the economy—which, of course, is no small thing—is the increasing trend toward using plug-in parts. When customers can do the work themselves—quickly, safely and for less cost—there is little reason to hire you.
2. People who can live with how their required profession is evolving. There is always going to be a demand for nurses and teachers. And if you can accept the trends—heavier workloads and more online (as opposed to face-to-face) interactions—then you can continue as you are. You might grow progressively unhappy in the job (“this is not why I signed up to be a nurse; “I hate teaching to the test”) but you will have a job in a field that will sort of, kind of, resemble the one you entered.
3. People who can coast safely into the sunset. This used to be far more prevalent than it is today. There were employees who would, in essence, retire in place five or even sometimes 10 years before their official retirement age. Today, companies are still nice enough to allow long-time valued employees to coast, but it is going to be likely to be for five or 10 months.
But these are the only exceptions we have found. If you are in a industry that is: in total flux (publishing; music); starting to unravel (finance); or one that you suspect might soon change radically, or, if your career has recently been up-ended (or soon might be); or has never really gotten going; or you feel stuck/frustrated, your job is probably going away.
Since that is incredibly depressing, next time (Wednesday) we will outline a specific course of action to take before your job disappears.
Paul B. Brown is the co-author (along with Leonard A. Schlesinger and Charles F. Kiefer) of Just Start: Take Action; Embrace Uncertainty and Create the Future recently published by Harvard Business
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