2008-2012 grads were hardest hit as skilled people applied for starting salary jobs. School age students who are current grads saw their parents struggle and suffer. Grads struggle with student debts.
Have 4 good friends from college. Good people with flaws, especially me. We graduated among 18% with bachelors in 1978. “Get a degree, and work hard to get ahead” we all heard growing up. Our parents worked and retired from one or maybe two companies with pensions. We expected our lives to be like this, but has not turned out that way.
One friend from college has worked for the same company (under 9 different names) in the same town. Another friend is working in his hometown, but went back to college to change careers and companies. The other 3 of us have moved to multiple states to work. All had stretches of unemployment and uncertainty.
What changed? Companies became corporate using MBAs to maximize shareholder returns and leadership salaries. Lifetime employment became “you are expendable” and “what have you done lately. Stockholders got more dividends and employees got smaller raises.
HR has closed door discussions about “old” employees with outdated skills. Not my generation, but mid-30s and 40s employees need to be upgraded. Managers are hiring the next generation. Not worrying about the people pushed aside.
How many people get to plan their retirement? Often forced on us early by economy, revised business plans and new technologies. Most people do not have enough saved for early retirement, and can’t find new jobs paying as much.
Lifetime education, new skills and willingness to learn are the new norm. My interviews discussed recent Solidworks training, Project Management certification classes, and writing my first book before I got hired. Volunteered leading training, and keep my job hunting skills sharp. Apply for new opportunities at work and watch the market just in case.
Be prepared. Save more than you expect to. Learn to network. Take any education you can, formal or informal. Watch company’s sales, competitors, and look for technologies you can use. Don’t berate yourself for mistakes nor things you can’t control. If life has taught me one thing, we are often woefully unprepared for what is happening around us. Yet we persist.
One younger brother successfully changed his career to be a minister. Other people around him pointed out his talents, passion for helping people, and guided him through the process. It was not suddenly the way to go, requiring years of studying, hunting for openings, and the responsibilities of the job. While religious life sounds great and has meaning, it is often quite stressful. You meet people going through the worst of life. No one has all the answers.
However he points out the best career is “Daddy” and “Grampy”. Couldn’t agree more.
Related reading:
Why the middle class is shrinking
This is why everyone thinks they are middle class
You’re likely to be out of a job in your 50s
No comments:
Post a Comment