Living with a Lack of Job Security

Coping with uncertainty

Some of the people you know may have only had a few jobs - or even one job - in their lives. If so, and they're not working for the government, they're likely to be older than 50, having grown up at a time where company loyalty and hard work provided a steady career and a comfortable pension. They might have spent 20 or 30 years with the same company, never making the break to search for something better, and never having a reason to fear layoffs.

These days, however, the world is much different. As a result of globalization, outsourcing, contracting, downsizing, recession and even natural disaster, "job security" can seem like a thing of the past. People entering the workforce within the past few years may have more than 10 different jobs before they retire. The lack of job security that goes with this is something that almost everyone must face at one time or another, and learning how to cope is essential to being happy, and keeping stress away.

So, how do you deal with this uncertainty?

First, learn how to handle the psychological pressure and stress. It's important to realize that not everyone reacts the same way to job insecurity. Your home life, willingness to adapt to change, and financial situation are much different from those of your colleagues, so don't expect yourself to feel or react like they do: they'll manage stress their own way.

Next, be prepared. It's impossible to know what the future will bring, so preparing in advance can help reduce your worries, because you'll know you've done all you can.

We'll show you what you can do now to deal with the feeling of a lack of job security.

Coping with Stress

Living with constant insecurity can be stressful. Some studies suggest that living with job insecurity - the "fear" of losing your job - can be more harmful to your health than actually losing it. Here, keeping a positive attitude can make all the difference!

If you're stressed about your career, try some of these tips:

• Remember the saying "Whenever one door closes, another one opens." Living with uncertainty can be uncomfortable, but you can control how you look at it. It can be an adventure, and the chance to do something new.
  
  
• If you're a good worker with marketable skills, then you have a lot to offer other potential employers if you get laid off. This is why it's so important to keep your skills relevant and up-to-date.
  
  
• In today's job market, the technical skills you need can change quickly. So, develop your nontechnical skills as well. If your lack of job security is due to a drop in demand for your technical skills, think "outside the box." What else can you do - and how can you prove that you could learn a new line of work? Look at your track record of being adaptable, your organizational skills (time management, team management, and leadership), and your people skills. For more information, read our Book Insight on "Career Intelligence" by Barbara Moses, and use this site to build solid career skills.
  
  
• Stress can result from a feeling that you don't have control over your situation. Remember, you ALWAYS have control. It's your life, and it's within your power to change it. If you're afraid that you might get "downsized," then take control and act. Look for lateral transfers within your company, to a different department or even a different branch. Start learning about other departments; perhaps your skills would allow you to do something completely different within the organization. Be PROactive instead of REactive.
  
  
• If you're part of a team (or if you're leading a team), allow everyone to voice their fears. Communicating and expressing frustrations are important, but don't let these fears dominate the group. This can create negativity and hurt morale. So, have an open discussion, but focus on what you can all do to move forward and cope.

Prove Your Worth

If you were your boss, and you were forced to eliminate one position, who would you lay off: the person who leaves at 5:01 pm each day and complains all the time, or the person who's willing to take on extra work and always has something positive to say?

If you face uncertainty in your field, make sure you give value to your company. You'll have to do more than "just the minimum" if you want to keep your job.

Be willing to stay late to finish a project. Help another team member who's falling behind. Do things to show your boss that you love your job and you'll do what it takes to help the company succeed. This kind of commitment can help to set you apart from the crowd.

Stay Current

Keeping your skills current is essential if you want to offer value to your company. Make sure you're up to date on your industry's certifications and trends. Take outside classes and read trade publications, so that you know what's going on in your field.

Also, think about taking classes that would benefit your role in any company. Skills like effective time management, leadership techniques, and office organization can help you anywhere - no matter what job you're doing.

"Brag" About Yourself

Many people resist talking about their accomplishments because they don't want to boast. But think of it this way: your boss may not know how great you are, or what you're capable of doing, if you don't tell her.

By talking about your accomplishments, you keep him or her informed of your value. For more on how to brag about yourself (without being viewed as arrogant or overconfident), read Getting the Recognition You Deserve.

Keep Your Résumé Up to Date

This is smart for everyone to do, not just those who are actively looking for work (or afraid they might be soon).

When your résumé is current, you can be ready at a moment's notice to apply for a new position - even one within your own company. You won't have to rush to make changes (and risk making mistakes), and you can be sure to present yourself in the very best light. If you wait until the last minute, you might forget an important accomplishment that could mean winning - or losing - the job.

Save Your Money

Few things are more stressful than wondering how you'll pay your bills if you suddenly lose your job. This alone can convince people to accept the first job offer they receive, even if it's not the right match.

Save at least three to six months of living expenses - this can help you take the time you need to find the best opportunity, if you are laid off. It can also give you the resources you need to look further afield, if work dries up in your area. This can help you turn a bad situation into a chance to reevaluate your career, and put yourself onto a new, exciting path.

Key Points

In today's business world, living with job insecurity is a reality for many. But it doesn't have to be stressful and negative.

Preparing yourself for change is a great way to feel better about the situation. Take control by ensuring that your company knows how great you are, and invest time in keeping your skills up to date. And save some money, so you don't have to worry about paying your bills if you do lose your job.

If you do get laid off, remember that the world is full of opportunities. Changing your mindset can go a long way toward reducing your stress. Look at this change as an adventure and as the chance to try something new. Focus on the positive, not on doubt and uncertainty. Remember, your life is what you make of it!

Sleuthing Out Hiring Managers Is Key to Job-Search Follow-up

Career experts are virtually unanimous on two key points in the job search:

1. Job-search correspondence - resumes and cover letters - should always be addressed to a specific, named individual, preferably the hiring manager for the job you're applying for.
2. After sending their resumes and cover letters, job-seekers should follow up with hiring managers to attempt to secure an interview appointment.

The problem is that names of hiring managers are rarely revealed in want ads and job postings. The reason is simple. In these days in which online job-hunting makes the process all too easy for job-seekers, employers are inundated with hundreds - even thousands - of resumes for a single opening, some from applicants who aren't remotely qualified. Hiring managers don't want to also be bombarded with time-consuming phone calls from job-seekers. Still, most - not all - hiring managers respond well to contacts from qualified, resourceful, and persistent job-seekers who show their enthusiasm for the job by following up.

So how does the job-seeker find out who the hiring manager is? This question represents one of the most perplexing dilemmas in contemporary job-hunting. It can, indeed, be difficult to find out the name of a specific individual to whom to address your job-search correspondence and follow-up efforts. It's especially difficult in the Internet age, when little more than an e-mail address may appear in a job posting. But there are ways to identify hiring managers. It sometimes just takes some plucky and persistent detective work:

• Make a phone call. The most straightforward way is to simply call the company's main switchboard number and ask the name of hiring manager for the job in question. The worst that can happen is that the person answering the phone won't tell you. The second-worst thing is that the person will tell you to address your materials to Human Resources. If that happens, ask the name of the human resources director. If you get that name, don't automatically send your materials to that person, but do file the name away in case all your other strategies fail.                                                                              Also try calling after business hours. If you have a good idea what the title might be of the hiring manager for the position you seek, you may be able to match a title with a name when you listen to the employer's automated voicemail directory.
• Ask for help. Steve Levy, Principal of outside-the-box Consulting, suggests a variation on calling for information. Writing in CollegeRecruiter.com's Ask the Experts feature, Levy advises: "Call the main number and say the following in a calm, soothing voice, 'Hello, maybe you can help me out for a second?' The person on the line will almost always respond by saying, 'Sure. How can I help you?' Why? Because our normal human reaction when someone asks us for help is to offer it. And there you have it - the start of a conversation rather than an opportunity to be rejected.
• · "Next step is to ask for the person in charge of the function in question," Levy continues. "But what if the gatekeeper offers an objection 'I'm sorry, but I can't divulge the name of the manager of finance.' You're response should be 'That's not a problem.' Why? Because you've just validated what the person told you. 'I understand your position but can you suggest another way for me to contact the person?' extends the dialogue and may even convince the gatekeeper to let down his or her guard. If the person doesn't budge, say 'Thanks for the time. By the way, my name is Anita Job. What is your name?' Write down the person's name and call again the next day using the person's name as an opener, 'Hello Bob, maybe you can help me out for a second? This is Anita Job we spoke yesterday.' Get the picture?"                                                                       Be persistent, Levy advises: "On the second or third call (it could take many calls to develop the relationship with Bob), rather than talking to the hiring manager directly, ask for this person's email instead. The lesson here is be prepared to take the time to develop the relationship rather than expect the gatekeeper to bend to your immediate needs." See more of Levy's tips for locating hiring managers in our sidebar.
• Tap into your network. One important key to finding out contact names is networking. If you've done as much networking as you should as part of your job-search efforts, you may find it relatively easy to get names. Joining professional organizations is one of the fastest, easiest ways to learn names of hiring honchos in your target companies. Let's say you see a job posting for Company X. If you're a proficient networker, chances are you know someone who works at Company X or someone who knows someone else who works for Company X. In that case, you can simply get in touch with your network contact and ask who is the best person to write to about this specific Company X job opening. Consider using your inside contact as a referral name for your cover letter:

Dear Mr. Smith: 

Your marketing director, Tina Jones, suggested I contact you about the brand-management position you are currently advertising.

You could even ask your friend Tina to hand-deliver your letter and resume to Mr. Smith.

• Become a proficient researcher. If you learn as much as you can about how to research companies, there's a reasonable chance you will uncover information about the best person to contact. Visit the company's Web site. Enlist assistance from a reference librarian at your public or university library.                                                                                                                                                 You can also conduct research directly with the employer by calling the company's public relations or investor relations department to ask questions that may lead you to the name of a hiring manager.
• Try the "Top Down" approach. One trick that has worked for many job-seekers is to address materials to the president of the company since you can almost always find out the name of that individual. The president, or more likely, his or her assistant, will have to forward your letter to the hiring manager. Your letter may even get extra attention from having been filtered down from on high. Of course, that approach still doesn't provide you with the name of someone with whom to follow up, but you can try calling the president's assistant and ask to whom your letter was forwarded.

If you have little or no information on what company has placed the ad/job posting...

• Search using a fax number. If an ad or job posting contains only a fax number, you can enter the fax number onto an Internet search engine such as Google and usually find out the name of the company behind the number - and then resort to the other steps listed here to try to find a person's name.
• Find the company Web site. If the job posting gives only an e-mail address, use it to lead you to the company Web site, which will probably have a phone number. For example, the job posting gives the e-mail address HR@CompanyX.com. Type www.CompanyX.com or simply CompanyX.com into your browser, and you will probably get to the company's site.
• Decipher that acronym. If the company name appears in the job-posting as an abbreviation or acronym, you can still find out the company name and proceed from there. In the Q&A interview Quintessential Careers did with her, career-management consultant Norine Dagliano said: "I have even found names when all I had was, for example, "FLC is looking for a mental health therapist in its city, state location." I went to the Yellow Pages under the listing for mental health and read the names of all the mental health agencies until I found one that might use the initials "FLC," and then called the number in the book to get the name to whom to address the letter. BINGO!"

If all else fails...

• Be as specific as possible. If you can't find out the name of the hiring manager, you can at least address your materials to a specific named individual in Human Resources, if you've been able to attain the name of that person. You can also address your materials to "Hiring Manager for [name of position]."

by Katharine Hansen, Ph.D.

More Tips for Identifying Hiring Managers

(by Steve Levy)

• Do a Google search for conferences in your industry or field and look for speaker bios.
• Conduct a Google search on: "@xyzcompany.com +manager" and see what pops up.
• Find the magazine with the highest readership for your industry or function. Go through six months' worth of issues and write down the name and title of every person quoted.
• Share university alumni chapter contacts with your friends.
• You know those business card bowls that so many restaurants use for meal giveaways? While you're standing there waiting to be seated, take a handful of cards and start looking at names and job titles.
• When networking rather than ask for referrals to people who work in your area, ask for referral to the "five best business people you know."
• Scour conference proceedings for names of hiring managers.