Back to the Future

Anna just got let go and she doesn’t know what she’s going to do next.

Scott is thinking, “What if one day this technology goes away?”

In the 1950s, women were expected to manage the home and buy groceries, while men were to work and provide for the family. People shared a rotary phone with their neighbor. The internet didn’t exist.

If it were possible to predict the future, I should go play the lottery right now. Unfortunately that’s not the case. What is possible is taking steps to ensure that you are always set up for success.

Step 1 - Financial stability. You’ll want to have somewhere between 3-12 months of savings to ensure you can support yourself and/or your family while you’re figuring out what you want to do next. This also helps to not make an emotional decision because you have time.

Step 2 - Skills. Build your transferable skills. While it can be lucrative to be very specialized, it does not set you up for a future where that specialization is no longer in demand. Emotional intelligence, communication, sales, business, and management are all examples of transferable skills that can be applied to your next role. If you don’t have the opportunity to build these skills in your current role, you can volunteer or start your own side business to expand your knowledge. Hands on application is better than watching a video.

Step 3 - Network. Getting your next role is all about who you know. We are all a web of connections. Maybe Anna met Scott at a previous company, made a good impression, and now he’s hiring. Many people hate social media, but done correctly it can get results inside and outside of your current industry. Leverage it to build genuine connections and demonstrate your knowledge.

Step 4 - Be adaptable. Change is the only constant. Resisting change and being on the tail end of a trend or the last one to see the writing on the wall will result in negative consequences. Do you remember cassette tapes? What about VHS? Who can even use those anymore? Some business examples include Blockbuster, Toys R Us, and AOL.

Step 5 - Center yourself. When you take care of your mind and body, other things fall into place too. Do a puzzle, look at a lake, go for a hike. It will bring a new perspective.

Hopefully you aren’t completely terrified of the future at this point or adversely only thinking about the future. There’s a whole other article to be written about being present so give yourself some grace if you aren’t entirely ready for the future today.

There will be days when the market will crash, there will be a natural disaster, and there will be companies that do layoffs. This is just putting your career first aid kit together so you’re prepared when something happens. After you bandage up yourself, help someone else. It’s the right thing to do. What’s in your kit?