Check out this awesome headline on InvestorPlace: Why I’m Not Sweating The Latest Round Of Layoffs
I thought it was going to be a clever article by someone who would share how he/she did career management, and networked, and had a personal brand… and would weather a layoff well.
Instead it was written by someone talking about the stocks and the company health. And my thought was “of course you aren’t worried… YOU AREN’T GETTING LAID OFF!”
Let me share some things that I’ve seen about people who are LESS concerned about a lay off than the average terminated employee. The person who is LESS concerned about layoffs have:
- Continued to network, even when they had a job. They met people at company and non-company events, they have reached out, helped, stayed in touch, and not become a hermit.
- Done things outside of their job description to grow and learn and experience. This isn’t necessarily a “resume builder” thing, although it could be. more importantly, it could be phrased as Steven Covey’s seventh habit: sharpening your saw. Doing this should expand your skillset, your interests, and your network and influence.
- Developed a personal brand that is well-communicated, or ready to be well-communicated. There is a term, heads-down programmer, that means you are too busy punching the keyboard and doing your job, to raise your head and be aware of your environment and do anything outside of your job. People who raise their head, and are aware, and do things like create a personal brand, will be more prepared for a layoff than others.
- Gotten financially ready. I know someone who has been through a few years of unemployment but is at peace… because he made sound financial decisions. You might not be able to be financially ready this week, or this month, or this year, but you can make decisions and take action TODAY, and tomorrow, and the next day, to prepare you financially for when it happens.
It’s time to do career management on-purpose. I didn’t…. and the people in my audiences who have the “deer in the headlights” look didn’t. But you can.
Will you?
