The stable/secure job is on the verge of extinction. Are you paying attention? Have you checked your rear view mirror lately? If you are not alert while driving your career, you could find yourself sitting alone by the side of the road (unemployed and unemployable).
Distinguish Yourself
Richard McDermott’s article on Harvard Business Review is an excellent reminder that you’ll need to Distinguish Yourself from the Market, Not Just the Competition. He tells the story and provides the data to illustrate that professional service jobs we thought might be immune to lay-offs or outsourcing, ARE NOT. McDermott says:
You need to do something to distinguish your skills from “everyday” professional services.
What jobs are in danger?
According to the Forrester study cited in the HBR article, these were the occupational areas predicted to be offshored:
- Administrative support
- Computer
- Business and financial operations
- Management
- Sales
- Architecture
- Legal
- Life sciences
- Art, design and related
Why They Are Vulnerable
In a word…technology.
Make Yourself Memorable
McDermott lists four ways to distinguish yourself (please go read the full post for the details!)
- Get on the cutting edge of your discipline.
- Become a contractor.
- Don’t sell yourself short.
- Find a market niche.
What About the “Average Joe”?
This is alarming. I have to wonder, what happens to those who are just average? What is to become of the people who just want to collect a paycheck? Is the global economy raising the bar for everyone and pushing us either to be uber-achievers or solopreneurs?
Your Wake Up Call
You can complain all you want, but the best advice I can provide is to take control! NOW. Don’t hit the snooze button.
What do you think the options are to distinguish yourself?
Hannah Morgan speaks and writes about job search and career strategies. She founded CareerSherpa.net to educate professionals on how to maneuver through today’s job search process. Hannah was nominated as a LinkedIn Top Voice in Job Search and Careers and is a regular contributor to US News & World Report. She has been quoted by media outlets, including Forbes, USA Today, Money Magazine, Huffington Post, as well as many other publications. She is also author of The Infographic Resume and co-author of Social Networking for Business Success.
