The recent recession has forced many people out of their jobs. They’ve discovered that the traditional factors they relied on to get their last job have very little to do with whether or not they’re employable now or will be in the future.
Are you employable? It’s an important question that you can't afford to disregard. Even if you’ve never considered it, you need to, because if nothing else, your boss has.
So what's all this about being employable? In a nutshell, it means that you contribute more value than it costs for you to deliver it. If what you deliver is equal to what it costs to have your there, then you’re probably not employable, because if anything happened, then you could become a liability.
If what you deliver is less than what it costs to have you there, then you cease to be an asset altogether. Many organizations recognize that it can take a few months for people to get up to speed; but the grace period for getting there is becoming shorter by the day.
You should also take note that the value you give isn't determined very much by the time you spend on the job. In fact, in some cases, time has nothing to do with it. There’s a world of difference between what you do and how long it takes you to do it. So, in order to be employable, you need to be able to deliver more value in less time.
Are you employable? How can you answer a question like this where the answer is as likely to be ‘no’ as it is ‘yes?’
Here are a couple more things that you must remember. For one, the world of work is constantly changing. Whatever education, skills, or knowledge you had last year probably won’t give you the same results this year. In fact, the chances are that they won’t be as good. This is due partly to the fact that more people are now able to do what you could do just 12 months ago. But it’s also true because the market itself is demanding increasing returns from us. We can’t afford to stand still because no one else is.
Another reason is that what makes you employable in one place will not necessarily make you employable in another. Actually, this has been true for some time. For example, you may be fluent in French, German and Russian, but the job you want requires you to speak and write well in English. The problem could be even more acute for those who only speak English. Globalization means that other languages may also be required. So, whether or not you're employable depends more on the value that is needed than on the value you have to offer.
If you want to become more employable, then you have to learn as much as you can about how the world of work is changing so that you can adapt your behavior accordingly.
Still not answer your question? Here are some options:
1. Sign-up for the newsletter
2. Buy Managing Value-Based Organizations: It's Not What You Think Caution: This book is only for serious students of leadership and management. Click here for an excerpt.
3. Get an answer now.
