“My Two Cents” by Cindy Pickens – Cynergy
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Corporate life as you have known it no longer exists. Companies are replacing regular staff positions with part-time, temporary, freelance and contract workers. You can no longer count on secure employment as your reward for a job well done. If your basic job function can be outsourced with acceptable quality at lower cost, it will be. You need a plan or strategy to prevent your job from being downsized, outsourced or marginalized. Social, technological and cultural changes have created a corporate world without job security. Business today is all about performance. Your value to your company is measured strictly by your contribution to the bottom line. You are a profit center. Some see this particular glass as half-empty: the lack of job security brings fear, anxiety and stress. Others see it as half full: the challenge brings opportunities for personal growth and achievement. The survivors in this new business world will be those who continuously improve their value to the company. Help your company to become ever more efficient and competitive, and you will help your career to thrive. Think and behave as a survivor at all times – but be prepared to venture out on your own if the need arises. Tips for Becoming More Profitable to Your Company and Your Career Hone your skills. Working in an IT department? Your company increasingly relies on you to deliver a substantial part of their business value. Hiring managers are looking for staff with both technical proficiency and business skills. Volunteer for tasks and projects that put you in close contact with the business drivers of your company. Look for ways to map the IT structure more closely to the company’s goals. Consider taking management courses, whether in person or online (and be sure to check Cynergy’s library of on-line seminars). Know thy customer. If a job requires frequent in-person meetings with clients and customers, go for it. Even technology-driven companies depend on personal relationships to keep current customers happy and attract new ones. Customers don’t buy complex services by phone; they buy from trusted, technically knowledgeable individuals. Position yourself as one of those trusted guides. Diversity, diversity, diversity. As companies move more and more jobs to independent contractors, they need increasingly strong managers to coordinate all the vendors, contractors, outsourcers and employees – all in a distributed environment. Take every opportunity you can find to gain broad management experience across a variety of business relationships. The experience will prove to be a valuable asset in the years to come. Align your job with the core business. Jobs related to core business functions are more likely to remain within the company than those that can be easily outsourced. Technology that is strongly tied to your company’s strategic vision is more valuable – as are the teams associated with it. Be a “Renaissance man” (or woman). Projects that require creativity, insight and innovation are more difficult to outsource. The same is true of jobs that require knowledge of process design and business analysis. Become the “go-to” person who can make sound decisions in unusual situations that do not fit into your company’s normal processes or rules. Niche it. Every company needs people who understand not only the technology but also the challenges of the company’s specific industry. Seek out projects that will give you a deeper understanding of your company’s niche. This knowledge will provide career stability as your company grows, and sometimes turns out to be useful in totally different industries. Pursue interesting opportunities. Constantly weigh the opportunity costs of staying where you are. You might be unhappy in your job yet choose to stagnate in your current environment because you fear risk and change. But by opting for what seems safe and secure, you may well be sacrificing personal growth and the satisfaction that comes from self-development and independence. Job security must now come from within. Take care of your career in a brave and bold way. Fight complacency. Keep your skills and resume updated. Keep an eye on the job market at all times. Develop and maintain your network as if your life depended upon it. Stay current on your industry’s trends and practices, and consider how you can better fit into them. Meet the challenge of uncertainty and develop the characteristics and resources you need to create new and exciting work opportunities for yourself. Take care… Working Smart + Living
Your Values = Balance in Life |
