There Is No Job Security in IT: Here Are My Three Suggestions to Cope With That

Today, I saw another wave of layoffs happening in the IT industry.

Just a year back, one could apply as a developer to six companies, and they would get at least three offers in the next week or so.

Now, this is not the case anymore. The industry has its problem, and every company decides how to manage.

I cannot impact this, but I can give you some good advice on what to do starting now.

Focus on the Positive Sides.

Accepting that the company you give your passion and time to could find you redundant within hours is tough. One friend said, "The employees are just rows in Excel. You can delete them easily.” And it's true.

Accepting that there is no job security while focusing on delivering value is impossible.

With every layoff, the people involved in the industry feel less and less motivated to work, which, in normal circumstances, ends up in living companies.

At the same time, you cannot quit because you know now it's not a good time to do so. When we are in such a challenging situation, and there is no psychological safety in the workplace, many problems will occur.

I expect to see more conflicts in work relations and global apathy, which could lead to less innovation and experimentation.

I try to focus on the positive side outside of work, except that I might hear the "great news" in a few days and refrain from making long-term plans for myself and my family.

Build Your Brand.

Your Resume and your portfolio represent who you are. Update it every week, and add your achievements. They are essential if you have to shine in the full inbox of other resumes. Now, to be able to differentiate yourself is crucial. There are thousands like you; what makes you different?

• Talk to some HR professionals and look at what is trendy these days - what they expect of a candidate's CV.

• Look at similar CVs and borrow ideas on making your own better.

• Contact your ex-colleagues and peers, and revive the connection with them.

• Attend events and expand your horizons.

• Join professional discussions on the internet or locally.

• Write use-cases - helpful articles like this to showcase your work from your prism.

Use Your Time to Learn.

If you habitually count on the knowledge you obtained years ago, you might be "outdated" when you go on the market. Sad, but true. Identify some great things you would like to learn related to your career, and use your time wisely to master them.

• The position requirements are changing rapidly, and you must stay in shape for the unknown.

• There are tons of websites where you can learn for free. I advise you to do that immediately.

• Expand your horizon; if you are a developer, you might need to see whether you can take another successful path, such as a product manager.

• Go out of your comfort zone because you might have to. Learn about something even more challenging.

As I mentioned before, those are my recommendations. They might work for you and might not, but try to accept that this could happen and create a plan for what you want to do.

I'd be happy to learn more about your point of view. Please add some comments, and let's start the discussion.

P.S Help others

After publishing my article, I read it and realized I had forgotten the most crucial part. You are in a position to help your peers who lost their jobs. Be active and help them survive these stressful times. You might have different access to information than them and see more opportunities within your bubble. Anything could help in such moments, but we are thoughtful and active. Don't let them go through this alone. You might need their support anytime soon.

Some ideas:

• You are browsing a job for yourself but see something that could benefit someone else. Please share it privately with them. I own a subscription to a restricted remote job board with possibilities and am sharing some opportunities with some of my peers.
• Maybe your company is hiring; why don't you share this with your peers? The Majority of companies have even incentives for that. It could be a win-win situation.
• Mentor and support your friends - They might need advice or someone to talk to.

Good luck!

Feature Photo by Bogomil Shopov - Бого on Unsplash