Take charge of your future at work

The employment market has experienced significant ups and downs in the past three years. Some people appeared shocked. But from my experience, not much is new. Trends demonstrate that when companies over-hire or when wages take too big of a jump, too fast, both are unsustainable. What goes up comes down. And thus it goes. Expecting your job to stay the same when everything else changes is sheer naivety. If you’re not planning your future at work, be prepared for someone or something else to intervene.

We’ve had significant employment boons followed by layoffs over the past three decades. During the dot.com 90s, regular office jobs paid double the norm. Then, when we entered the 2000s after the dot.com crash, it was hard for people to adjust to realistic compensation levels. People stayed unemployed for years before they adjusted. Another more recent example was due to the pandemic when technology jobs skyrocketed. Many people found themselves earning more than they ever imagined. And then, just as suddenly, companies started to look at their bottom lines and reconsidered those hiring decisions. And when tech workers get laid off, those who support them (HR, recruiters, payroll) aren’t far behind. Congratulations if you missed the rise and fall this time.

Showing up for work every day is not enough.

So, what does all that mean to workers today? They need to take charge of their future at work. If you’re used to keeping your head down and focusing only on your work, you may not recognize how quickly your circumstances can change. In a tough job market, you can guess that like many people, you’re expendable. Showing up for work every day is not enough. You’ve got to add something more to the mix than leaving one more dirty coffee cup in the break room. If you aren’t being productive, no matter how much your coworkers like you, it won’t save you. On the flip side, if you’re productive, but also a royal pain in the you-know-what, then your productivity won’t save you either. If getting a regular paycheck is important, understanding how decision-makers view you is essential.

Pay attention.

This is a concept I spend every day analyzing. I reviewed current and past customers over many years, and an interesting trend emerged. The clients I work with who set goals pay closer attention to issues that could impact their status.  The people I’ve worked with who are faced with a PIP or who have already been terminated have had these things in common:

• Scoff at structure and prefer to “go with the flow.”
• Refuse to use a calendar or plan ahead for anything other than vacations.
• Procrastinate when faced with complicated tasks.
• Consistently miss deadlines.
• Fail to take notes when given instructions.
• Refuse to ask for clarification or help until it’s too late.
• Pay little attention to verbal warnings.
• Ignore cues or changes in business trends.
• Make decisions based on assumptions without validation.
• Concerned about their status but unwilling to make changes.
• Quick to complain, but are reluctant to speak up or suggest solutions.

Wake up and change your approach.

What can you take away from this?

• Set your own goals.
• Track your progress and accomplishments.
• Know where you stand.
• Pivot when things around you change.
• Have contingencies in place.
• Stop spending like there’s no tomorrow.
• Keep six months of savings on hand at all times.
• Be willing to step back and leap forward later.

For more career advice, check out my webinars on Goal Setting and Managing Your Time and Multiple Commitments and follow me on LinkedIn and (X) Twitter.