Great Career Advice for Any Economy

According to the news, the world will be ending in the next 47 minutes. But just in case it doesn't, I would like to share some career advice with you that my father shared with me. So far, it has proven true for me, and I am more than willing to bet that it will help anyone that takes the time to read and implement the advice. The news these days is that the economy isn't so great. We have subprime mortgages, a credit crunch, and rising unemployment. However, all of those factors don't have to frighten you. If you will work on the following tips, then your job will be much more secure than it is today.

1) If you work your tail off, you can beat 80% of the workers in your field.

My dad was always a tough, never-say-never kind of guy. He was the one at work that put everyone else to shame. He made sure that nobody else in the company ever out-worked him.

Think about it, how many people do you know that really care about doing a good job? How many of them come in early, work late, pick up extra assignments, etc? Most of us look sheepishly at our toes as we realize that we might not be working as hard as we thought. Don't worry. Like I already said, if you read and follow this career advice, then you will make a change for the better in your life. Start by doing those things that are listed above. Do come in early. Do leave later. Do look for ways to branch out into other areas. The harder you work, the more valuable you are to your employer, and the less likely you are to be out of a job.

2) If you want to beat that other 20%, it's going to take some combination of knowledge, skills, and/or abilities (KSAs).

My dad was always skilled at his job, so he was always on the beneficial side of things. His ability to see through a problem from start to finish made him indispensable to his company.

Having good KSAs can take you far in life. Being able to properly display good computer, problem-solving, conflict resolution, or interpersonal skills will definitely make you an excellent job candidate, no matter what field you are currently in. Also, more education can increase skills or knowledge in certain areas. For example, I am currently studying for the Professional in Human Resources Certification test. Assuming that I pass the exam, I will look more valuable to my current and/or future employers. I will have demonstrated my ability and willingness to further my career through self-imposed certification.

3) Look at the future of your industry and your career and plan accordingly.

As he got older, my dad knew that he wouldn't be able to continue doing the same thing for the rest of his life, so he researched ways his industry was changing. His business purchased new equipment that allowed workers to increase productivity and lower costs.

If your job is in manual labor, then you should already be learning how to either do it better or do something else. Technology is rapidly removing the physical labor from our society. While there are some jobs that will always require heavy lifting, who would have thought thirty years ago that we would have robots making cars in auto plants? My point is this-try to learn about how your job will change as time goes on and adjust yourself accordingly. Many writers are now going online and making use of the ease of communication to do freelance work. Do your best to be prepared for any eventuality that may cause your job or industry to be obsolete.

Imagine if you followed all of this advice in your work life? I'm not talking about picking and choosing which ones to do; I'm talking about being fully committed to changing your work style, your career, and maybe even your life for the better. If you are skeptical, then just try it out. I, and many people just like me, already know it works. I just might make a believer out of you, too.