by Todd Pheifer

Created on: January 14, 2009   Last Updated: January 28, 2009

It's a dog-eat-dog world

The vocational world can be a tough place, particularly with the ups and downs of a volatile economy. When people start to hear of economic "downturns", they feel a general uneasiness about their current state of employ. They ask questions like, "Will I be next? How stable is my job?" Despite the fact that they might still have jobs, their sense of career comfort may be limited. Even in times of relative economic stability there is some value in a mindset of being self-employed. Here are a few reasons for maintaining this sort of attitude.

Corporate loyalty?

I suppose one can argue that corporations have never been truly loyal to their employees. To be sure, there are companies that work hard to maintain their workforce, since they know that a happy workforce is a productive workforce. However, money and commerce haven't really changed all that much over the last few decades and companies have always been willing to let their workers go when times are tough.

What have you done for me lately?

What people have to remember in today's modern age is that they are almost always expendable. To be certain there are plenty of people who can feel somewhat "safe" in their current line of work, but the bottom line is that almost everyone is an "at will" employee. This means that the company has the theoretical right to let them go if certain criteria are met.

Eye for opportunities

Because of the realities of the market today, people should always be keeping "an eye out" for other vocational opportunities. Granted, there is usually a difference between checking things out every once in a while and being in a process of "actively" looking. In other words, checking job sites is one thing, but actually applying for jobs is a more serious level of commitment. Usually people want to make sure that they are actually open to walking away before they apply for a new job.

Resume building

Even if people have no intention of leaving their current job, they should look for opportunities to enhance their resume. This can include additional schooling, seminars, workshops, and certifications. Again, people don't have to do these things with the intent of leaving, but it is always good to broaden one's skills just in case they need to "make the jump." Having a self-employed mindset makes these activities valuable because they are done with the intent of developing personal skills and marketability.

Keep editing

Speaking of resumes, people should keep theirs handy and updated

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