When I was about 16 years old and getting closer to the end of my time in high school, I was forced to think about what my life would be like after I graduated. 

My ultimate goal was to find job security but I wasn’t quite sure the route I would take to get there.

Would I…

• Go to college?
• Join the military?
• Find a job close to home?
• Move to find a job?

Honestly, I did not see many options.  I didn’t realize it at the time, but I do now. 

And I’m sure many people are looking at these same options today. 

They are not bad options.  The issue is that today, none of these may be great options for job security now and into the future.  Even government jobs are no longer safe.

But you often hear that the strategy for success is to go to college and then find a good job with job security.  So this is what most people do.

According to SHRM, “employees ranked job security and benefits as the top two ‘very important’ contributors to job satisfaction over other factors such as career development, flexibility and compensation…”

Many people still follow and promote this philosophy of college and the importance of job security today.

But the world is changing.

Business is changing.

And the strategy for success is changing.

What is Job Security?

As defined by Wikipedia, “Job security is the probability that an individual will keep his or her job; a job with a high level of job security is such that a person with the job would have a small chance of becoming unemployed.“

The idea of job security was a good idea, but it is an idea that you ultimately have no control over.

You could be the best employee, work hard everyday, and go above and beyond your boss’s expectations. 

But that doesn’t guarantee you will have security.  You can be loyal to your company, but will your company be loyal to you?

How Jobs Become Obsolete…

Companies focus on doing things better and cheaper. 

This can be accomplished with software, technology, and outsourcing.  So you must look at your job very carefully and determine if you could be replaced by either software, technology, outsourcing, or a combination of these.

John Chow recently wrote an article about how your job will become obsolete.  In this article, he mentions that overseas, he saw a McDonald’s restaurant with self ordering stations.  In the video on his website, the restaurant had 1 person working the counter and 6 self-ordering stations.

This is no surprise.

Companies have been slowly introducing us to more self-service offerings for at least the last decade.

Remember when you had to pay for gas inside before you pumped at gas stations?

I don’t remember the last time I did that.  You can now pay right at the pump using a credit card.

Because of this convenience, you are less likely to go inside the store and possibly purchase something extra (like a drink or a snack).

And by the end of 2017, more people will be getting the new Tesla Model 3 and skipping gas stations altogether.

Walmart and grocery stores have self-service lines as well.

John Chow says, “The store of the future will have much fewer if any employees at the front counter.

Just look at Amazon Go, a new grocery store that has no checkout lines. Using the Amazon Go app, you walk into the store, grab what you want, and walk out.

When you leave, they know exactly what you bought and will bill your Amazon account for it automatically.”

John also mentions in the next decade there will be more self-driving vehicles eliminating the need for drivers.  As Amazon starts delivering packages using drones, more jobs will go away.

What Can You Do About Job Security?

Well, there isn’t a lot you can do to gain more security.  You just don’t know when new software, technology, or outsourcing will become available to make your job obsolete.

Basically, job security is not something you have control over.

But you do have control over the decisions you make today. 

You can begin making changes in your life so you are ready if and when your job vanishes or becomes obsolete.

You can make money and invest in your future…even if you are a beginner.

You could…

• Start an online business and build it in your spare time until you earn enough income to replace your full-time job.  Start building your business now.
• Start your own blog to share information and experiences with the world. Learn step-by-step how to create a blog in a few minutes.
• Become a YouTuber or Vlogger to share information with others around the world. Learn more about the best cameras to use for Vlogging.

With these strategies, you could regain control. Then if your job goes away, you are better prepared.

Job insecurity is nothing to be afraid of if you plan ahead.

A work from home business may provide you with additional income, flexibility, and time freedom.

Still, it may not provide security in the beginning, but it may offer more over time.

It all comes down to this…

Do you trust a company or yourself more with your security and interests?

Change is coming.

Job security is fading.

It’s time to adapt and prepare now.

Save