When asking yourself if your employment is secure, it is important to remember that employment security isn’t the same thing as job security. The latter point relates to your position at your current company, and can be tied their success as much as your own. Employment security, on the other hand, relates to the marketability of your current skill set if you should happen to lose your job.
Make sure to take note of the following points to ensure your employment outlook, now and in the future, remains secure.
Keep Your Skill Set Relevant
Keeping your skill set current and consistently producing business results is arguably the most important factor when determining your employment security. Sure, working on that COBOL system 10 years ago was great experience, but there isn’t much demand in the current marketplace for COBOL developers.
Take steps to join a local programmer user group and stay abreast of the latest innovations in languages, frameworks, and databases. Some hands-on experience with MongoDB or F# adds more to your future employment prospects than any time spent doing Visual Basic.
Cultivate Your Professional Network
A robust professional network remains a vital part of any plan for achieving and maintaining a secure employment outlook. Many times getting a great new job comes as a result of someone you know. Networking is a key factor!
In addition to helping with your skill set, those local programmers groups are also a great source for professional contacts. Make it point to attend as many meetings as possible and don’t be afraid to pass around your business card!
Develop a Job Search Strategy
A fresh skill set and a strong professional network make up important parts of any job search strategy. In fact, spend some time and effort formalizing your strategy. While you may feel secure in your current position, situations can change without warning. Be prepared.
Your strategy needs to include time spent on resume building as well as honing your interviewing skills. Both are important factors in keeping a high employment security factor.
If you are still unsure about formulating a strategy to improve your employment security, spend some time with your local technical recruiter. They can help your ultimate success! As one of the top IT staffing companies in the New York area, APN Consulting has the recruiters able to help you achieve your career goals; making sure your employment prospects remain secure.