I get a lot of phone calls and emails from people looking for a new job. They’ve been fired, laid off, whatever, and are desperate to find a new position. As a result, I’ve learned something important about the perfect timing to find a new job:
Look for a job when you don’t need it.
That’s right. Here’s my advice:
1) Never get complacent.
Too many people get jobs, enroll in the insurance and benefit programs, and then get lazy. As a result, when they get fired or laid off, they’re shocked and stunned. They have no clue what to do.
2) Always be looking for the next job.
Today we live in a volatile economy. Most people from my generation had parents who worked with one company for a lifetime. My family was different. My dad was a pastor and worked at six or seven churches in his career—plus, had a side job teaching school bus drivers as a way to make ends meet. My mom did various jobs as a secretary just to help out. That taught me that no job lasts for an entire career, so always be looking for the next one.
3) Always keep your resume, demo reel and/or portfolio ready to show.
You just never know….
4) Finally, understand that the world of work has changed.
The future belongs to those who hustle. It’s not about long-term job security or lifetime benefits anymore, it’s about what’s next. Those who are always ready are those who will win. Read my books
Phil Cooke on Creativity or
One Big Thing to help you understand the mindset you need.
How about you? Any other tips that will prepare people for today’s rapidly changing workplace?
