234Finance: Prepare for the Worst in Paid Employment

There is a popular school of thought that advocates there is nothing like job security anymore. The business environment is filled with case studies of organisations that were wiped off through irredeemable share price crashes, scandals or loss of investments in one way or the other. Our world today has also been described as VUCA – Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous – signaling the need for business and government leaders, as well as employees to always act with a sense of urgency. Also, a bigger lesson from the fast-changing trends in our world today is the fact that nobody can afford to be complacent, because a change in the climatic or business weather can sink even the most profitable venture.

Where does this uncertainty leave employees, if business leaders are constantly taking risks and trying to stay afloat in spite of the dynamic environment and unpredictable markets? It should teach them how to stay prepared for sudden changes and adopt a mindset that is open to a flexible future. Here are some ways to prepare for the worst scenario whilst in paid employment:

Develop your Personal Brand
Building a personal brand is easier than you can ever imagine. One way to start is by blogging. The irony is that, the only person who knows how good you are at your job are your bosses and clients. You need to change your job search system by sidestepping the way things worked conventionally.

The focus of any blog is to drive conversation, because it is a medium to showcase your portfolio and get people to interact with your work. It is also a forum to connect with individuals and organizations at the frontline of the subjects that are most imperative to you. There are countless testimonials of people who have secured fantastic jobs by writing a blog post. It costs next to nothing to create a blog today. You can also become a guest blogger on popular media platforms that will promote your work and connect you with brands within your niche of interest.

Network! Network! Network!
Networking does not mean going to conferences only or events to meet people. Why not try out things you would not typically do in the office setting? Ask folks out to lunch, spend time asking questions and just listen to their responses. You will be amazed at what you can glean from a 20 minute lunch break. Besides networking with people within your professional demographic, it is important to also connect with senior executives and engage them with burning questions you have regarding your industry. This can propel them to recommend you for a future job opportunity.

Engage with Your Colleagues
Don’t be a lone wolf. Many people never realize they don’t have real friends in the office until they are fired from their jobs. Ensure you have a network of friends at your workplace, so that in case you lose your job, they will serve as a support system to you. Help each other, make positive recommendations and promote their side hustles. You are at more advantage with a squad than on your own.

Explore Other Industries
Do not forget to explore other industries while networking.  The skills set you have may be held in high esteem in a different industry. It is important to find at least two other industries where your skill set can be transferred to, so that you can always move when an industry suffers the effect of a government policy or resource decline.  Always try to learn from people who do things you would have never thought about. You never can say who they may be on the lookout for in the future.

Start that side hustle today
Irrespective of how comfortable your job may be, never rest on the oars of your job hunt.  No matter how lucrative the job is, do not be fooled by the company’s ‘Kool-Aid’. You don’t want to be caught in the situation many individuals find themselves when they get fired. Therefore protect yourself so that if things go south, you will have a few irons in the fire.

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Photo Credit: Evgeniy Shkolenko | Dreamstime