Only an ostrich that's had its head buried in the sand for the past decade could be unaware of the massive corporate layoffs and restructurings that have been rocking the American workplace. Odds are you-or someone you know-has already been through a downsizing, "rightsizing" or whatever else the shake-ups are being called these days. And even if you know you're in good company, being a layoff victim is a pretty traumatic experience, especially since the rules of job hunting have changed.
Gone are the days when you could expect to fill out an application one week and be on the job the next. In this increasingly competitive market, you have to work hard just to get someone to read your resume (miracle of miracles if they actually ask to meet with you). Interviews may include five managers instead of one, and it might take a year to land a new position where it used to take a month.
If you've been lucky so far, don't count on avoiding the ax forever. The days of cradle-to-grave employment are over. Never again will anyone guarantee you a paycheck for life. The only way to enjoy true career security today is to build yourself a network, some financial reserves and a set of marketable skills. And you shouldn't wait until the last minute to do so, since none of these tools can be thrown together overnight.
However, if you recently lost your job and weren't prepared for it, don't lose hope. It's too easy to start conjuring up worst-case scenarios when you're unemployed:
I'll have to sell the house and move into a smaller place. The kids won't have enough money to pay for college. They'll have to take out huge loans or stay home. My spouse will have to go back to work or take a second job. I'll end up doing manual labor for entry-level wages.
Then, my family will leave me and I'll end up on welfare. I'll have to start living out of my car, or move into a homeless shelter. Soon, I'll become a skid-row derelict drinking my dinner from a bottle. I'll end up just like that desperate guy in the suit who was standing at the expressway entrance the other day- the one with the sandwich board that read: "I'll take any job for $20,000 a year."
Such disaster fantasies won't make you feel better, and won't help you out of a bad employment situation. What you need is a whole new mind-set and an action plan to sustain your career. Here are few suggestions:
Do Good Work
A first-rate engineer with an impressive education and strong professional credentials always met-or exceeded-his employer's standards for excellence. His company, a healthcare manufacturer in Niles, Illinois, consistently rewarded his achievements with raises, promotions and challenging new assignments.
So, when a two-year plan was announced to dismantle the manufacturing plant he called home, the engineer didn't worry. He assumed they'd need him to help close the place down and then move him into another division.
He was wrong. Within six weeks of the announcement, his name showed up on the very first list of job cuts.
It wasn't personal, and he knew it. It was a straight business decision. His forte was improving the quality of the plant's manufacturing process. That talent was completely unnecessary once the company decided to shut the plant. Hence, he got his walking papers.
If a great performance record doesn't guarantee you a place on the payroll, what's the point of trying to do a good job?
- Because you'll feel better about yourself if you have to enter the job market. You'll know that the exigencies of business forced you out, not lackadaisical performance on your part.
- Because it will improve your marketable skills, even if you can't use them with your current employer.
- Because it will remind others that it's a pleasure to work with you. Then, if you're laid off, co-workers are more likely to help you find something else. In other words, it will cement your network.
- And finally, because it will encourage your employer to find you another job within the organization if the company decides to downsize.
Feed Your Rolodex
We all know the cliche: "It's who you know that counts." But if you aren't very good at networking, you won't want to believe it's true.
Actually, it's even more complicated than that.
"How about this for higher math?" asks Tom Peters. "Security is proportional to (1) the thickness of your Rolodex; (2) the rate of Rolodex expansion; (3) the share of Rolodex entries from beyond the corporate walls and (4) the time devoted to Rolodex maintenance."
Let us try to comprehend Peters' "Art of Rolodexing":
The thickness of your Rolodex refers to the sheer number of people that you know-the more the better. Since no one's job is safe anymore, it's wise not to depend too much on any one person for your future. Cultivating a broad network of people who know and appreciate your work is one of the best forms of security you can create in this job market.
The rate of Rolodex expansion implies that you should never feel you know enough people. New and important players are emerging in every field and industry all the time. If you want to know where the growth and opportunities are, you need to constantly add new contacts to your network-preferably before you ever want or need anything from them.
The share of Rolodex entries from beyond the corporate walls means that having a diverse group of friends and acquaintances is also critical. If your network consists only of co-workers, you'll be in trouble if your company ever goes belly-up. Try to meet professionals who work in other parts of your industry and/or those who have similar functions in other industries.
Vendors prove extremely helpful. Because they are out in the world soliciting business from competitors, they were able to provide him with a wealth of information and contacts. If you have a more isolated job, you can expand your horizons by participating actively in professional and trade associations.
