Job security is a basic necessity. This is because not only is job security about having work, it is also about life security. If you are constantly worried about where your next paycheck is coming from, it’s almost impossible to feel that your life is on an even keel. You can’t make plans, book holidays, do those home improvements – all because you’re constantly concerned you won’t have enough money in the bank.
That’s why job security matters; because it impacts every other area of your life.
Yet it’s a sad fact that more and more of us are struggling with job security. Gone are the days when someone would begin their working life in the post-room and end up as the CEO. That used to happen; in fact, notable figures like Simon Cowell began their route to the top from the very bottom of a company. That just doesn’t happen anymore. Now, we are more likely to work freelance for a variety of companies, switch jobs more often, and dip our toe into the potential horrors of the gig economy. Jobs: they just ain’t like they used to be.
How do these two things come together, then? It’s like a battle royale:
PRESENTING…
The Desperate Desire For Job Security!
vs.
A Changing Employment and Economic Landscape That Offers Little Job Security!
And you’re the one stuck in the middle, taking blows.
Find An Industry With Job Security
Ha! Well, obviously, that’s the simplistic answer. Of course, we’d all like to find ourselves in an industry with great job security. It’s not like anyone is going to a job interview and, when asked if they have any questions, is answering: “well I would like it if this job was a little more insecure if possible…”
So that’s what we want. Of course, other people want it too – which means we have a whole heap of competition for the professions that could offer us what we want. Nevertheless, the same is true even of terrible entry-level jobs. There’s always competition, so don’t let that put you off.
Consider Re-training
If your current area of skills and expertise doesn’t offer itself to secure employment in an industry that you can rely on, then it genuinely is worth considering retraining.
Yes, it can be expensive, and yes, it is going to drain some of your free time. It feels like a huge commitment, and it’s a leap into the unknown that you might be reluctant to take.
However… you have to ask yourself if you have a choice. There are serious financial issues that it’s important to settle. To be blunt, you can’t content yourself with “just getting by” right through to retirement. If you really want to find you have the financial freedom – and thus the life freedom – that you seek, sometimes, you have to make a change.
And if you’re going to do that, make it a change into an industry that offers security. There are plenty of them – and we’re going to go into detail very soon – and they could make a huge difference to your life. No more studying the fluctuations of the economy terrified a small change could leave you without a job. No more feeling that you’re not sure if you’re going to have a place of work in a month. You can prevent all of that by targeting your retraining towards an industry that is always thirsty for staff, always in need of good people to keep it functioning. No fighting for jobs for you anymore – not when you move into a sector that has far more jobs than it does people.
Coding
You might look at that word “coding” and want to run away screaming but, genuinely, with a little bit of learning that could be something you read as easily as you read this sentence.
Coding is the language of the future. It builds the apps you use and the websites that you visit. It’s also surprisingly easy to learn, as you quickly pick up the habit of associating the letters on the screen with what happens with a page layout.
The problem is that coding faces an uphill battle for recognition. At the moment, most people who work in the industry are self-taught out of passion and commitment. There are few recognized qualifications in the subject. As a result, its recruitment levels are low and its skills gap is ever-widening. This is a situation that’s only going to get worse, meaning that experienced coders will – in years to come – become a valuable asset. So if you want security, entering an industry that is already understaffed (and set to be further understaffed in the future) is a surefire way of doing it.
As alluded to, training yourself to code is rarely a simple case of going to a night school or taking an online degree program. Some elements of the subject will have to be self-taught and you have to be willing to tinker around, make mistakes, and learn from experience. You can begin the process right now – after you’ve read the rest of this flawless article of course! – and set yourself on a new path.
Could You Work In Coding?
An experience with languages is useful, though not essential. Being tech-literate helps but, again, this is something you can learn for yourself. The ability to be patient is helpful. Coding is rarely smooth, so you have to be willing to problem-solve until you find the right solution.
Healthcare
While there is a multitude of roles available in healthcare, it’s fair to assume that – for most of us already in an occupation – retraining completely to be a doctor is not an option. It takes a huge amount of time and, even when qualified, you have a way to go before you reach the specialist roles.
So unless you are willing to sacrifice that much time, it’s probably better to focus on the non-doctor side of healthcare. There’s still plenty of need for able people in these positions.
For example, healthcare assistants are the oil that allows the healthcare industry to run smoothly. It’s relatively simple to get qualified and there is always a need for willing entrants. For something a little more formal, there is nursing, which takes far less time than a doctor to qualified for and there are always jobs available. There is a multitude of fields that might catch your attention in nursing, from working in the ER to becoming involved in the mental health sector.
As a final option, counseling is generally understaffed and is relatively simple to qualify for depending on the routes you take.
Could You Work In Healthcare?
The skills required tend to revolve around your chosen area of healthcare. It’s a good idea to aim for something at an educational equivalent of where you are now. So if you have a degree, look into nursing or counseling. If not, then a healthcare assistant would be a good transfer point – and you can always learn forward from there.
A general desire to help those in need is, without a doubt, useful across all the skill sets.
It will help if you’re a people person; you can’t hide in a back office and hope to see no one during your working day!
Cleaning
On the surface, cleaning appears to be a sector to avoid if you’re looking for a secure job. It has a reputation for being low-skilled, the kind of work that people do when they can’t find anything else.
This is massively unfair, however. Cleaning is an essential part of the economy, from those offering domestic services to firms that have multiple huge companies as their clients. The beauty of cleaning is that the workplace is always going to need it. Where there is an office, there is a need for an office cleaner.
While the work itself might not be hugely secure, you’re always going to be in demand. You could lose a job in the morning and have a new one secured that afternoon. It’s never hard to find cleaning work. So while the individual jobs might not be the most secure in themselves, the ability to pick up replacement or additional work with relative ease makes cleaning one of the most secure industries you can choose.
It also lends itself well to starting your own business, if that is something you have ever been tempted to try. You can do it with relatively low start-up costs and see where it leads you.
Could You Work In Cleaning?
Obviously, it helps if you don’t hate cleaning! Though many find it’s an easier task to manage if they are being paid for it.
While you can take qualifications, it’s not essential, so it’s fairly simple to begin.
So if you are constantly worried about the long-term future of the industry that you’re in – and the impact it could have on your personal finances – then there is no need to be. Change things up for the better and you’ll have steadied the ship before you know it. The only question left is – what’s it going to be?
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