Are you a Dinosaur?
With the unemployment rate pushing 10%, many people that would have never considered (or planned for) the idea of being out of work find themselves wondering where the money will come from to carry on in life and pay the bills.Although it is changing, the idea that many of us were taught that the way to make it in the world was to go to school and get a degree, find a "good" job and work there until you retired. This model is no longer a workable solution. The previous model was based on a "hard goods" manufacturing system. While they still exist, they have changed. This is the "Age of Information" and data is the coin of the realm now. Computers, technology and effectively instant world wide communication via the Internet now drive the manufacturing process and it is a "world market" for both production and labor. The concept of "off shore" providers of goods and services has changed the playing field. Competition from the offshore market has eroded the once solid base of US industry and the jobs it provided. The once proud moniker of "Made in the USA" is a vanishing breed. Far from being a Luddite, I think it is a good thing and ultimately brings better and less expensive products to all.
So, how does someone like me, a "Boomer" kid born in 1945 adapt to this new economy?
Basically it's adapt or die!
I have been a geek since before it was cool. I have been fascinated by technology since I can remember. Unfortunately, many of my peers are not, and see technology and computers as an assault on their lifestyle and a demand on their time to learn all this "new" stuff just to get along today. They are no longer competitive in the job market that demands at least a passing familiarity with computers and software applications. Now, when they are out of work, for maybe the first time in their life, they find that they cannot compete successfully in the job market with the younger generation or even their own generation that did keep up with the changes. You my friend are a dinosaur! Rail against fate all you want, it will not change the fact that you have become obsolete.How do I fix it?
Is this a permanent condition? Only if you allow it to be! There are a lot of resources available if you take the time to look. Much of it is free via the dreaded Internet! The list of free courses and training is very long if you look for it. You do not need to become a full-on geek like me. Some very basic training in using typical office software will make you that much more employable. Even in the construction trades where I spend much of my time, high technology is making significant inroads. No one actually draws up physical plans anymore. Everything is done on computers using CAD (computer aided design) applications like AutoDesk® which output digital files that can be instantly modified/corrected and made available to anyone that needs them via online "plan rooms." If I wish to bid on a project, I simply log in to the plan room, download the file to my computer and save it. I used to pay for physical plans to use for bidding and the set I had may not have included the latest revisions. Basing a bid on outdated plans is a great way to go broke! There is a tongue-in-cheek definition of "winning bidder" that says: "The winning bidder is the guy that wins the bid with the lowest price and is wondering what he missed."A similar process is used in manufacturing and is called CAD/CAM. Computer Aided Design/Computer Aided Manufacturing. Computers and software are also used for work flow. The concept of "Just In Time" material supply, enabled by computers saves millions of dollars a year for manufacturers, eliminating the need to warehouse and stock needed materials for several months in advance due to the inefficiencies of the older, paper based and hand counted inventory systems. Now, they only maintain enough for a couple of weeks and some even less. An example of this is Dell Computer(r). They do not stock pre-built computers but instead build it when you order it.
Where do I get this training?
A quick search on Google brings up thousands of results. Here are a few samples:http://www.gcflearnfree.org/computer/
http://www.certification-crazy.net/
http://www.bin95.com/university/Index.htm
http://www.all-freeware.com/results/lean/manufacturing/training
How and Where to look
So the bottom line is to stop doing what you are doing now if you want to get different results than you are getting now. Start looking at things from a different perspective. Take the time to get your Résumé in shape by taking advantage of the free evaluation services from sites like CareerBuilder© to make it pop out from the crowd. Internet job boards like CareerBuilder© and Monster© are great ways to quickly search for jobs targeted at your particular talents. If you are experienced in a particular field, search the company web sites directly. Most post their openings there before they ever get to an online job board.Think about your basic skill set that makes you good at what you do. Could this be applied in another, unrelated industry? Just because you have always made widgets does not mean that the same skills cannot be applied to making something else!
Start your own business. Many companies are now "outsourcing" their tasks to sub-contractors and 1099 independent contractors. This saves them money by not needing to provide benefits or even work space in some cases. Many jobs can be done via a "telecommute" situation where you work at home and just log in to the company's site to submit production or do work in a "shared" workspace like Microsoft's "Office Live Workspace".
Consider going into commission sales. Since you only get paid for what you produce, these jobs are often pretty easy to get. Leverage your "people" skills into a paycheck. Commission sales people are often the highest paid in the workforce. Remember, "with every floor, comes a ceiling". If you have a guaranteed income or salary there is often a cap as well. Many commission sales have no cap and you determine how much you are worth by your actions.
Final Caution!
With the rampant unemployment today, the creeps come out of the woodwork to prey on the unwary job seeker. I get dozens of proposals every day in my e-mail just because I have posted a resume online. Some of them are quite legitimate looking on the surface, coming through what appear to be sites like CareerBuilder. They are just scams in disguise, stealing their logos and style from the real site to make them look legitimate. Some are just outright BS and obviously scams. Others are much harder to detect. Always do your due diligence. If you are considering an offer of a great "job or business opportunity" you got, search for the idea or company name on Google or other search service and check the online scam warning sites. The real stinkers will be listed and raked over the coals very thoroughly. You are not unique, special, or part of some secret list of lucky people that are getting exclusive access to this "special" offer. You are on a "sucker list" if anything! Don't fall for them.Good Luck
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