A few months ago, one of my friends got laid off. His company was acquired by a large corporation.
Last week, I got a call from a friend who just got fired. Her company laid off the entire team and closed down the project she was working on.
This could happen to any of us.
So, how do you prepare yourself for this kind of situation? Just be ready. Instead of you finding a job, let the jobs find you. Make yourself good enough that companies hunt for you.
And how do you do that? Here it is.
I started my first consulting job in 2002 and since then I've never had a situation where my next job is not already lined up. I always have jobs waiting for me. This is something you can learn from me.
The Mantra
I truly believe in what Sant Kabir said in the following doha (poem):
Meaning from Boloji website:
In anguish everyone prays to Him, in joy does none
To One who prays in happiness, how can sorrow come
My mantra (formula) is very simple. Be proactive. Be prepared. Just because you have a good job going on, don't just relax and chill. Still keep working. If you don't have too much time, keep doing in small steps. Just DON'T STOP!
“Continuity is the key to momentum.”
Here is my formula of preparedness:
P=E²N
- Thou shall Expertise.
- Thou shall Expose the Expertise.
- Thou shall Network and Expose the Expertise.
Expertise
You must be good at what you do. You must master the subject. Don't just limit yourself to what you do at your daily work but go above and beyond. If you're using WCF in your projects, don't just learn what is needed but also learn what else could be done using WCF. Read articles and books by experts. Go to communities and forums and take a challenge by answering questions. Test your skills by taking tests and quizzes.
Exposure
Once you've expertise, you must expose it. If you don't expose it, no one will know about you. If I must pick “the one thing” that changed my life forever, I would say writing. Wring articles on C# Corner is the only reason I am successful today.
“Writing on C# Corner is key to my Success.”
I got my book publishing deals with APress and Addison-Wesley because Karen Watterson, Editorial Director of Apress read my article on C# Corner. I get most of my projects because of people read my articles on C# Corner. I get most of my contracts, speaking engagements and other networking because I exposed my expertise via my articles on C# Corner. Imagine your article read by thousands of people each day including industry veterans, employees and publishers.
You must find a platform where you can expose yourself to millions. I know several guys tell me, “I do have a blog already”. I understand that you have a blog but how many people really can you expose your expertise to, on your personal blog?
Networking
One of the messages of my keynote speech at the C# Corner Annual Conference 2014 was networking. As a professional developer, you may not only want to build your online presence but also offline. The more people you actually know, the better you are. Unfortunately, I did not learn this in my early days. I was a typical developer sitting at my desk writing code. I don't want you to make the same mistake. Go out, meet people, ask questions, answer questions, build and grow your professional network.
You also want to build a good relationship with a couple of recruiters. Recruiters are always looking for talent. Treat them well even when you don't need them. Buy them a beer or have a coffee with them (and pay for it). You never know when you will need one.
“Build good relationships.”
If you do not know where to meet people, look for local user groups in your city. Join them. We at C# Corner have started C# Corner Chapters in some cities. Join a local chapter.
Summary
If you want jobs come crawling to you, the rule is simple. Work hard and continue to learn and improve. Separate yourself from the crowd. Network, network and network.
Note:
Do you like this article, do not forget to share on your Facebook and Twitter accounts with your followers and friends. Spread the word. Let other people learn from it.
Appreciate it!
Mahesh