You have a terrific job with a stable company. You love your supervisor and your co-workers and they love you. The company is growing and things are good.
For now.
We can’t emphasize this enough: never become complacent. Things can – and too often do – change in an instant. Recessions hit. Companies get bought by larger companies and the buying company lays off most of the smaller business’ employees. Your beloved boss leaves and your new boss dislikes you. Really dislikes you. You turn 50.
Job stability is a myth. Let us repeat: job stability is a myth.
So who’s your real boss? YOU ARE.
You know those entrepreneurs you admire? It’s time start thinking of yourself as a business: the business of you.
That’s right: even though it’s a hot, hot, hot candidate market today, the job market is unstable. It’s therefore best to think of yourself as a free agent. Master of your future. Self-employed. A business owner.
Here’s how to think like the owner of one-employee business.
- Always be learning. Learning new skills, both hard and soft. Get certified in something. Repeat. Get a degree (choose carefully). Learn online. Read about your industry and the position you hold within it.
- Look for new clients – um, employers — often. If you were a self-employed person what do you think you’d be doing a great deal of? Finding clients! You need to do the same as the boss-of-you because your only current client – your employer – could disappear quickly. And it’s better to find a new employer while you still have this one. You don’t have to take a new job if it’s offered, but keep networking, keep seeing what’s out there. Keep talking to potential “new clients.”
- Start a side hustle. You should do this for two reasons: if you do find yourself unemployed, your side gig can help pay some bills and also because with a lot of work nights and on weekends, it could grow so that you could leave your employer and be a true self-employed dynamo. (Hint: self-employment can be a way to have real “job stability.” Why? Because it’s much easier – and quicker—to find clients than it is to find a new employer.)
If you do find yourself suddenly free of your current “largest client,” Helpmates can help you keep earning while you look for your next “one client” (or as you build your own business).
Take a look at our current openings. If you find one or more that interest you, follow the job description’s instructions or contact the Helpmates branch nearest you.
