No matter where you are in your career, investing in career development is necessary to determine what comes next for you. Growth happens in all roles, which is a good thing, but sometimes we outgrow where we are, and we need new challenges. Unfortunately, when you grow out of a role, you can experience burnout more quickly and find it more and more challenging to get out of bed and go to work each day. Career development can help you master change confidently, even in a layoff.
Change is inevitable, no matter what industry you work in. Why not embrace it instead of dreading it? Organizational changes for restructuring can lead to layoffs and job eliminations. Most people are caught off guard in this circumstance and often feel lost or alone when adjusting to such news. What if I told you that you could be ready for the riff, and even jump at the opportunity to move on to your next adventure before the announcements are made? Yes, with positivity and a little effort, you can control your career path!
For decades I worked at startups, non-profits, and enterprise-level companies, and they all had one thing in common – the necessary requirement to adapt to change. Over time, instead of feeling victimized, I learned to adapt and expect layoffs to happen. I learned that I should not take the layoff personally because businesses need to do business according to their bottom line. As a result, I became a leader that values retaining top talent. What better way to do that than by teaching people to come to a role ready to work themselves out of that role and do a top-notch job while they are at it. Acquiring this much sought-after skill will lead you to be tapped on the shoulder to step into new roles repeatedly. Throughout my career in Corporate America, I specialized in process improvement, streamlining, and automation, leading me to be tapped on the shoulder frequently to step into new roles. Whether you’ve been at the same company for weeks, months, years, or decades, starting fresh in a new role is never too early or late if it makes sense for your career trajectory, even in a layoff.
There are three tips I highly recommend for everyone that wants to be in the driver’s seat of their career. First, the number one thing you must do is be ready at all times. This means that you can’t let yourself get comfortable or complacent. Expect that after you get hired, you will perform well at your role, and be successful. Expect to be replaced by someone else, or a process that can outperform you at your job. You read that right – expect even the unexpected. This mindset is the only way you can adapt quickly and be ready for change. Be the confident individual that says, ‘change is something I am looking for as an opportunity to better myself’, not the person that says, ‘I have no choice’. If you have the state of mind to always perform your best, and become a subject matter expert at your role, most likely, you will be looking for a career change because you outgrew your role before you get replaced by someone else in a restructuring. Even if you do get caught off guard due to a layoff, you still have control of your own ability to make the best of the changes that are coming.
The second tip I have for controlling your career path is knowing what you want. Take time to truly understand yourself and your short-term and long-term career goals. Your manager is responsible for helping you know your job objectives clearly and measurably. You are responsible for your performance and taking your skills where you want to go with them. You may realize that your manager doesn’t have leadership qualities or a desire to meet with you regularly for development. In that case, you will need to drive meetings with your manager to define your role and know how your performance is. I encourage you to look for an appropriate mentor or career coach to help guide you with your career goals. Choose a mentor or career coach that is not working in your direct line of business, as it is the best way to ensure you are getting unbiased advice and helps with confidentiality. Check out this post about how to select a mentor
Finally, the third tip I have to take the reins in your career is to know your worth. Many workers do not know their market salary. This is especially true when you have tenure at a company. My budgeting experience working with enterprise-level companies in a competitive market is that there is a rule on average to keep all employees paid at a rate of 10% below their market salary. This helps companies save money and allows them to have room for salary negotiations. I recommend you consider this rule and do your own research, especially when beginning to search for a new role. You can obtain this information through salary websites like Salary.com, Glassdoor, or Simply Hired. If you are looking for the average salary of a role that you would like to apply for, you can use the same sites already mentioned or do a google search. You can also contact future co-workers on forums where salary information is being shared. Remember that some big companies will consider it a ‘code of conduct’ if you share salary information on public forums. If you want to know your current role’s salary range, including any caps on bonuses or pay, contact your HR department to ask if they can share that information. Information sharing can vary based on the state or country you live in.
While you may not be able to control negative things from happening in your career, you can manage your reaction to them and what you do next. If you must be caught off guard when a layoff is announced – let it only happen once in your career. One experience should be enough to move you to be ready for change which is inevitable, to know what you want, and to know what you are worth. I hope all 3 tips will help you find your rhythm at work, in life, and at play!
You are your greatest asset and the most authentic you there could ever be!
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