We recovered from the Great Recession many years ago according to statistics but somehow it doesn’t feel that way.

Jobs continue to be outsourced, eliminated or doubled up with added responsibility.

Only the outstanding companies devote needed time to managing people and getting the best out of them.

The elimination of the American worker in the name of “best practices” or “right-sizing” is not going to end any time soon.

So what should we do to deal with uncertainty about our careers?

1. Never even consider leaving a job that you absolutely love because of someone you work with or work for.  This is the one circumstance that requires you to outlast the offensive co-worker if at all possible.  Harassment or abuse are exceptions.  Never tolerate it.
2. Always be looking for your next job.  Athletes have agents who look ahead to free agency. TV reporters are constantly aware that the best career move may be one to another market even when they are relatively happy where they are.
3. The antidote for feeling insecure is to devote 10% of your time each month looking for potential jobs and/or getting the training to be employable elsewhere.  This way you will be less frightened when things turn sour.
4. Once a year take a few days to ask yourself if you want to continue to do what you do for another year.  Often we fear losing jobs that we really don’t want.  When we take time to review what we’ve done and what we would like to do a year ahead it often opens our eyes to new possibilities even if you can’t immediately leave your present employment.
5. Be positive about your skills.  Frequently before companies let people go, they write them up using trumped up reasons so that they have evidence to fire them.  Never let anyone get that deeply into your head that they can make you feel badly about the kind of work you do.

Replace fear thoughts with the realization that you are always a free agent.

In 100% of the cases, the next job is better than the one you don’t like or the one where your talents are not appreciated.

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