Where is your Golden Parachute?
We
hear a lot today about high-level executives receiving large amounts of cash
upon leaving their companies - often when their organizations are failing. It’s
difficult to understand how this could happen. Why should people be rewarded
for doing a poor job? And what about the rest of us, who may be the casualties
of these poorly managed organizations? Where is our Golden Parachute? Well, as
we all know, there is none.
The
rules have changed in the job market. You can’t depend on your employer to be
looking out for your career – to guarantee your job. Instead, you have to think
in terms of managing your own career; at all times, you have to be engaged in career
planning. Failure to realize that and to take steps on your behalf can lead to
serious consequences – there is no golden parachute to catch your fall.
This
morning a Management Training Director told me about a person who wanted to
take a low cost on-line management training he provides. The individual
believed that she was badly in need of the training but the company would not
pay for the training so she was not planning to register. The question put to me was: What would you tell this person?
I
didn’t have to think twice about my answer. To me this is a “no brainer". I
would say: “You cannot afford not to take this training (or any training that addresses
your self-identified skills gap). It’s tough out there! You need to be ever
ready to compete in the marketplace.”
When
employers decide which employees will go and which will stay, they look at:
- demonstrated abilities
(accomplishments, added value)
- education and training (current, targeted)
- value to the organization
(initiative, motivation, work ethic)
Caveat:
even when you do everything right, your job may disappear. It’s always about
playing the probabilities.
When you’re searching for a job, employers
look at:
- demonstrated abilities
(accomplishments, added value)
- education and training (current, targeted)
- value to the organization
(initiative, motivation, work ethic)
The same
qualities that may prevent lay-off are what provide career protection after
lay-off.
Golden
Parachutes are not likely for most of my clients, but I submit that
it’s not a parachute that you want; what you want is a flight plan. In today’s labor market an updated, ever ready career
plan is your best navigation tool. I advise my clients to “file their flight
plan” (substitute “career”) and to take career protection steps to add to their
value in the job market. Over the next few days, I’ll be writing about steps
you can take to create your Flight (Career) Plan – so that
you’ll never need a parachute – golden or otherwise.
Check out our free teleconference at www.rcmassociates.com
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