ARTICLE ARCHIVE
The Loyalty Factor: Why You Should Plan for
Your Future Employability Now
by Connie Podesta
In today's ever-changing workplace, the meaning of "loyalty" is quickly evolving. Gone are the days when employees stayed with an organization for 20 or more years, or when employers tried to guarantee an employee's job until retirement.
The fact is that you alone are responsible for taking charge of your professional life. And you owe it to yourself to keep your options open. That does not mean that you should begin to think about your future on the day you find yourself out of a job. It means that you must think about other opportunities and directions you may take while you are still employed.
Unfortunately, many employees admit that they know they should be looking at other career opportunities, but they feel disloyal doing so. Some also say they feel guilty for having a resume, for networking, and for keeping an eye open for other options while they are still being paid by their organization. However, these people must keep in mind that loyalty in today's workplace is quite different than it was in the past. After all, if your organization can't guarantee you a job (and in most cases it can't), then your future may depend on keeping your other options open and exploring new opportunities.
To put it in better perspective, think about it this way: Your organization's executives are certainly keeping their options open. If they can merge with another organization or if they have an opportunity to increase profits by downsizing, they will do so. Their ultimate loyalty is to their stockholders and their customers. Likewise, your ultimate loyalty should be to yourself and your career opportunities.
With that said, though, employer and employee both have a responsibility to avoid taking advantage of one another. Fair treatment and compensation in return for a good day's work are still part of the mutual loyalty bargain. While an organization is keeping you on the payroll, loyalty is still very important-you must keep trade secrets private and do all you can to keep the organization profitable by working as productively, creatively, and cooperatively as possible. All efforts to keep your options open should be discreetly done on the employee's own time. However, since guarantees of employment can no longer be given from decade to decade or even from year to year or month to month, a smart employee will always be prepared for the worst case scenario; looking for a new job. In these times, loyalty is almost a day-to-day commitment.
The following eight high-performance abilities can help you plan for your future and keep your options open in today's evolving business world.
1. Take Charge of Your Personal Life
Being out of work is usually painful for anyone, but the situation can be manageable and even tolerable with the support of friends and family. Those relationships, however, must be built and nurtured along the way. They don't magically appear on demand when we need them. When people lose their jobs, the questions is: Have they sustained other relationships that will help them experience the transition more easily? If not, the feelings of isolation can be somewhat overwhelming.
Unfortunately, many employees who have been hit the hardest by downsizing are people who have worked tirelessly to move upward in their organizations, often at the expense of building and maintaining strong personal relationships. They have immersed themselves in their work to the point that their jobs are who they are. They are often shocked when they lose their jobs, and if they have allowed their personal relationships to falter or even fail, they may find themselves without anything or anyone to give their lives meaning. Keeping your options open means taking the time to cultivate relationships other than work. Having this support system can make the job transition phase much more bearable.
2. Demonstrate Value Added
Perhaps you've decided you want to quit your job and move on. Or maybe the organization decided for you and now you're on your own. If you want to stay employed, it's imperative that you be able to demonstrate to a new employer or company that you are vital and essential to their number one goal of making a profit and effectively servicing their customers.
Before going on an interview, take an approach that will set you apart from the other applicants. Take the time to do some careful research on the potential employer. Who are their customers? How can you help to retain them or bring in new customers? How can you help them increase productivity? These are the questions you must prepared to answer. It's also important to know where an organization is going in terms of the future. What kind of reputation does it have? Is it respected in the industry? What is its track record for success? What are some trends that could possibly affect its ability to keep you on as a valuable employee?
And while honesty is necessary and vitally important when preparing your resume, don't forget the importance of creativity. Just as you want to stand out from the crowd at your interview, your resume should also set you apart and encourage your potential employer to take a second look at your abilities. Is there something unique about your talents and skills that the other people applying for the job might not have? Remember, you options and opportunities will be greatly increased if you can demonstrate to prospective employers that your abilities will add value to their organizations.
3. Have a Positive Impact on Your Situation
To be willing and ready to explore new options, you must also be determined to have a positive impact on your situation and yourself. If you are worried about losing your current job, are presently out of a job, or are going through a transition period between jobs, you may be experiencing a barrage of mixed feelings including anger, anxiety, sadness, bitterness, fear, and apathy. A positive attitude and the determination to move on and discover new opportunities will play a big part in whether or not your undesirable situation can be turned around.
You must take charge of your attitude and literally teach yourself to work through your negative emotions and into more positive and productive ones. Because eliminating or defusing a negative attitude takes work, you must want to feel differently. You must take whatever negative feelings you may have and leave them behind. If you keep telling yourself, "I'll never get over this," then you won't.
If your goal is to stay employed, then you must believe that you will be able to get through difficult situations and move on successfully to other opportunities. Be resolute and determined, think positive thoughts, and engage in behaviors that will have a positive impact upon your career.
4. Embrace Change
Starting a new job can be very stressful because it often requires us to make many adjustments all at once: a new office, new colleagues and co-workers, new rules, new expectations, new people to impress, etc. Sometimes we must even relocate. In other words, accepting a new job means that we have to make many changes. Unfortunately, most people are resistant to change.
Expanding your horizons by additional education and training can be very rewarding, as can be taking a new job with new responsibilities that makes you aware of skills within yourself that you have never tapped before. To stay employed, you cannot be resistant to change. You must be willing to explore all your options, even if that means getting more education and training, acquiring new skills, accepting new responsibilities, and moving to a new location. You can't expect employers to adapt to your individual needs. You must adapt to theirs.
5. Work Harder and Smarter
If you are between jobs or starting a new job, you must be prepared to work harder than ever. Why? Because it is very hard work to be as positive and productive as possible, concentrate on personal relationships, keep studying and learning, work effectively with a new team, write resumes, leave your comfort zone, and take charge of your future. However, there are only two reasons why people do not live up to their full potential. They are either unable to do so or they are unwilling to do so.
Commit to Life-long Learning
An important part of lifelong learning includes knowing yourself well enough to understand how you react to what is happening in your career. What have you learned about yourself and the way you respond to difficult situations in your professional life? Are you quick to overreact? Do you react passively, refuse to talk about what's happening, and close your eyes to what is going on around you? Or do you face each situation knowing you have the strength, skills, and abilities to survive, no matter what? Although it may be painful, if you can learn to react positively in difficult situations, you will have more options available to you.
One important part of lifelong learning is knowing your strengths and tapping into them to explore all your options. It is crucial to focus on not only the strengths you are using today, but also on all the strengths you may not have used to their full potential because they are not-or were not-necessary in your previous job. What about your strengths at earlier stages of your life? Could they be developed and used to add value to your present job or make you more employable with another organization? Your willingness to learn new skills, along with better and smarter ways to do your job is an important part of your commitment to lifelong learning. The more strengths and skills you have, the greater your number of options.
Losing a job is always difficult, but it is not a disaster if you keep your options open. What does keeping your options open really mean? It means not taking your job for granted and assuming it will always be there. It means planning ahead and preparing for possible changes that could affect your job. It means taking charge of your career and not counting on an organization to take care of you. It means refusing to be a victim, and instead, taking an active role to ensure that you will always be employable. After all, no one can take better care of you than yourself.
If you are unable to do what needs to be done, then take the necessary steps now to take charge of your career and your future. This could include taking additional classes, hiring a personal coach, or getting counseling. It is up to you to overcome the obstacles that prevent you from moving on to the next step in your career. If you are unwilling to do what needs to be done, it's time to do a self-assessment. Are your feelings about your situation keeping you from exploring the new and possibly exciting options open to you? If so, learning to look at yourself differently-as someone who has choices rather than as someone who is a victim-might very well be the hardest job you will ever have. But if you intend to stay employed, you must deal with these issues. Employers want people who are enthusiastic and optimistic about their future.
6. Communicate Openly and Directly
When you're between jobs is the time when communication is most vital. To stay employed, you will have to constantly network, meet and talk to new people, share information, and go on interviews. Everywhere you go, you will meet and make an initial impression on people who could possibly pave the way for new opportunities.
When you're looking for a job, every person you meet is a potential lead and you should communicate in a positive and professional way. To communicate your needs clearly and succinctly, you must think clearly about what you are qualified to do and how you could apply those qualifications to a challenging and rewarding job. Then put that information into two short sentences and practice them until you can communicate that information in a positive way.
Many people looking for employment think that if they have a good resume and send it to enough people, someone will eventually call and offer them a job, or at least an interview. But finding the right job takes more than that. You have to actively market yourself and your abilities, because many people are competing for the job you want. It's entirely possible that your next lead might appear when you least expect it, so you must be prepared to take advantage of every opportunity to communicate your needs and goals to every person you meet.
7. Look for Leadership Opportunities
Your ability to take charge of your career future and make good solid decisions will help determine whether you move successfully through difficult times or remain frozen where you are. Many fine executives, managers, and employees who are known for their outstanding leadership abilities often fail to use those abilities when faced with a potential or real job loss.
To stay employable during times of transition, you must continue to be trustworthy and act with integrity. Avoid the temptations to criticize your previous organization, boss, or co-workers. You also must strive to achieve and exhibit high levels of excellence. Your resume and qualifications must stand out from all the rest. Above all else, you must continue to serve others, even if your job is in jeopardy. Working to help others in your organization survive change can create great advocates for you in the future.
The bottom line is that you must be able to draw on your leadership abilities during times of crisis to motivate yourself to explore new options and opportunities. And remember, prospective employers are looking for people who are willing and able to assume a leadership role-whatever their job level.
Connie Podesta, MS, LPC, CSP, is the Director of the Interpersonal Skills Department of Building the Power Practice. She was an educator for 15 years at all levels from junior high to major universities. She has served as Director of Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and Director of Staff Relations at a large community hospital. Ms. Podesta conducts workshops and training seminars for health care organizations and is a popular speaker at major dental seminars throughout the country. For more information or to schedule a speaking engagement, call 972-596-5501.
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