Jobs in
Perpetuity
Service-based
the better
What is it
about electricians and plumbers that keeps them perpetually in demand? Theirs
is the QWERTY keyboard phenomena.
It is
speculated that the keyboard of a mechanical typewriter was designed with
jumbled up letters to hamper speed typing. When the typewriter keys are struck
in quick succession the strikers lock on hitting the carriage. They had to be
pried back to each time it happened to continue with the typing.
With the
development of the electronic typewriter, the QWERTY keyboard should have
become irrelevant. If not then, at least when keyboards for computers were
developed. The QWERTY keyboard continues to rein.
The manner in
which electricity and water is delivered to our homes has defied progress
except in the cosmetics of the fittings. Once the electrical and plumbing craft
is learnt it does not require additional certifications for electricians and
plumbers to continue to offer their services. The same with masons and other
professions which requires the use of hands and some brains not to be electrocuted,
drowned or turned to stone.
One could say
the same about finance managers, chartered accountants, advocates, insurance
agents and medical professionals once certified can go about their work without
additional certifications. To continue to offer their services they must stay current
with their trade practices keeping up with additions, deletions, revisions, and
precedents in their field.
The building
blocks of these disciplines remain the same with practically no changes in the
foundational understanding and core content, which of course is key to the
first level of certification to even offer their services. There is no skill obsolescence
or job loss in these fields. Slackness is fatal and true of any profession.
Technology
plays a minimal role in the practitioner’s life except making content access
and manipulation easier to doing it manually. Technology is not disruptive and
mass layoffs are unheard of in these fields.
Those with
financial commitments requiring regular payouts must consider such professions.
That should be obvious to all of us. But we don’t quite think in these terms
when taking up our first job.
When do mass
layoffs happen?
1. In an economic downturn, when you are part of the resource recruited to
service growing demand: cab drivers, customer service personnel, sales and
marketing staff, HR professionals, delivery agents, construction and factory
workers
2. In technology and technology-led companies committed to automation to
replace repetitive tasks done hitherto by human labor
In both cases,
in good times, jobs appear plenty, but in bad times, they disappear just as
fast. Hence, the ability to save and make smart investments is critical when
employed in mass layoff prone industries.
The 5x20s
investment rule is a good practice to adopt as a cushion to sail through
extended layoff situations: 20% in long-term appreciating assets like house or
land, 20% in depreciating assets with operational costs such as car or bike,
20% in household expenses, 20% in child education and extracurricular expenses,
and 20% in liquid assets such as securities, insurance or gold.
Which then are
the sectors that are not affected by the effects of demand deceleration – other
than government and sectors dominated by the public sector, like the railways?
Health,
education, entertainment, insurance, brokerage, and social welfare industry.
What is common to these six industries in ensuring job stability?
They all
address a human need that cannot be wished away. To be treated for ill-health;
to achieve professional success; to be distracted from the rigor or humdrum of
life; to be covered for unexpected expenses; to be introduced to a choice of
buyers and sellers; to be cared for when incapable of fending for
themselves.
The level of
skill also follows a pattern from highly knowledge-based skill (health), to
some qualification (education), to creative skills (entertainment), to selling
skill (insurance), to ear-to-the-ground and walking-the-streets skills (broker),
and empathetic and non-discriminatory skills (social welfare).
These skills
and industries provide a ‘no-layoff’ guarantee when they are run efficiently
and ethically, relatively speaking. To be part of this industry requires a
deliberate focus and effort. It pays off well in maintaining income continuity.
To avoid skill
obsolescence and maintain a steady source of income, it is imperative to
develop unique and highly priced skills. The ability to write cogently, speak
persuasively, listen attentively, work collaboratively. And, the ability to project
confidence, dependability, reliability, adaptability, creativity, originality,
honesty, and humility.
These are
innate or cultivated (fake it until you make it) personality-driven
traits, providing the individual a uniqueness, to be capitalized strategically
and thoughtfully to accomplish personal mission and cherished aspirations. They
shield one from the threat of skill obsolescence and job loss.
Often ignored
when holding forth on such issues is emotional intelligence (EQ) and maturity required
of the person which is one clear antidote to skill obsolescence and job loss.
And, one other factor, when the pace of change is overwhelming, put succinctly
by Alvin Toffler, author of the best seller, Future Shock:
“The illiterate of
the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write,
but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.”
To unlearn what
has been learned and practiced for a time is the modern challenge. Imagine
re-learning to type on a keyboard with the QWERTY replaced with FGHJKL as the
opening set of alphabets. Would you want to even try to give it a shot to see
if you can? Those who want to stay relevant and useful will.
Carol Dweck, a
Stanford Professor of Psychology, calls those who will try to relearn the
FGHJKL keyboard, as having a ‘Growth Mindset’. Most will not and are forced to
ride into the sunset. This is nothing new. Charles Darwin warned us about it in
the 19th Century.
“It is not the strongest of the species who survive, not the most
intelligent, but the one most responsive to change”
In conclusion: Choose
wisely the profession you pursue and the industry you join. Some are highly
‘layoff’ prone while others offer a safe harbor of income continuity.
Don’t be part
of a resource pool that is driven by demand and don’t be part of a technology
or technology-led company where routine tasks are automated unless you have
some unique skills or a personality trait that keeps you evergreen.
A place to be
is where your services will always be in demand because it fulfills a human
need that machines cannot do as it involves empathy, resourcefulness and persistency.
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