CAREER CUSHIONING - IS IT THE IDEAL REMEDY FOR THE UNSTABLE EMPLOYMENT SITUATION?
Posted: 03/02/2023 - Views: 205
The volatile economic situation, the continuous wave of quiet firings, and layoffs have raised a feeling of insecurity for employees in all fields. People who go to work gradually form a mentality to prepare for the worst situation. Many people start “career cushioning” early so that no matter what happens to the company they work for, they still have another safe option.
So what is "Career Cushioning" and how does it benefit everyone's work in these volatile economic times, let's find out with Hitsuji Consulting Vietnam in the following article.
WHAT IS “CAREER CUSHIONING”
Career cushioning is the practice of creating a backup plan for potential unemployment. People call it cushioning because it is used to cushion yourself from the negative experience of an unexpected job loss while you still have a job.
It is a fact that no matter how hard you work, job security isn't guaranteed. Keeping your alternatives open and building a safety net for the direction the economy is moving is what career cushioning entails.
You can consider the strategy an insurance policy that you can use to set yourself up for success regardless of the state of the economy. The good news is you don't have to wait for an emergency to implement it. You can use it as an alternate path if you're unhappy with where your career is currently headed.
WHEN SHOULD WE START CAREER CUSHIONING?
From the definition, it can be seen that career cushioning is a stepping stone to help people not be too dependent on their current job and not face difficulties if suddenly unemployed.
The unstable economic situation is one of the top reasons why people "worry" and conduct career cushioning. In the face of the risk of losing their job, people will realize the importance of career cushioning more and start their own cushioning career.
However, career cushioning can also be done earlier, before you see those risks. Since the activities in career cushioning include improving skills and qualifications, it is obvious that you can do this at any time without waiting until it is really urgent.
HOW TO CUSHION YOUR CAREER?
One of the most crucial aspects of career cushioning is to evaluate your current skill set and how well you use it. Your present employment can teach you skills that you can use to your advantage while looking for a better position or a more suitable new role.
Employers today are also seeking employees with transferrable abilities. You can successfully do a range of tasks with these abilities. While reassessing your current talents, you should also review your resume to fill up any significant skill gaps.
Once you know what you need, the next step is to start learning and improving your skills.
You can learn from friends, colleagues, and superiors, join short courses, or intensive training courses from experts in the field you want to study.
Whether you fall into a situation of quitting your job or not, the trend of "career cushioning" still helps you maintain your life. Besides providing a backup plan when something goes wrong, upgrading skills will also help a person move forward in his or her career path.
3. Stay Connected With Your Network
Relationships are crucial to your profession, therefore you should constantly maintain and grow your network rather than waiting until you really need to.
You can find new employment prospects through networking, which is also a great place to learn. The more credible individuals you connect with, the more opportunity you have to read and listen to their insightful offerings. Not cliched ideas, but real-world examples.
4. Regularly update job trends
The world is constantly changing and keeping up to date with the latest news to easily adapt to change is essential in the career cushioning process.
You can follow social networking sites, and groups about careers, recruitment, etc. Keeping up to date with the latest information helps you stay out of date and easily find the right job.
5. Be ready for opportunities
Preparing for the worst-case scenario sounds pessimistic, but it's far worse to be unprepared for when unemployment begins.
Career cushioning gives you peace of mind when the worst happens because you already have a perfect backup plan.
And when a door closes, new opportunities can come at any time thanks to your careful preparation. Until then, don't be afraid to think carefully and move on to the job that's best for you.
EPILOGUE
Everyone who works believes they should have the ideal job to advance both professionally and personally. However, the importance of financial stability cannot be overstated. Thus, career cushioning appears as a way for workers to proactively prepare financial and employment backup plans while honing their talents.
To be updated with information about current jobs and share useful career information, do not forget to visit the articles of Hitsuji Consulting Vietnam.
Contact us at:
Phone: (+84) 0974 689 370
Email: katherine@hitsuji-vn.com
Website: https://hitsuji-vn.com/