Wouldn’t it be terrific if our economy had full employment ? That would mean everyone who is legally able to work, qualified and looking would find a job within a reasonable amount of time and effort.
It’s no secret that automation has been improving productivity, accuracy and profits since the Industrial Revolution. Routine jobs and tasks once handled by the human brain and the skilled laborer are being replaced or eliminated with automation in some form. Add to that advances in technology, artificial intelligence and robotics, and many routine tasks once performed by humans have been replaced.
Yes, although new jobs have been created that require new skills, if you follow history, you will see that the number of jobs lost over time outweighs the number of jobs created, while the number of people who may qualify for jobs today is growing, increasing a jobseeker’s competition. Also add to the mix the number of jobs outsourced to other companies, and you will understand some of the reasons for continued unemployment and extended job search time than ever before.
I’m going to refer to this process of automation and outsourcing as reductionism. Reductionism is the result of an industrialized nation where the focus of survival is on profits.
Reductionism Further Defined And Why You Need To Pay Attention To It
According to Dictionary.com, “Reductionism is the practice of simplifying a complex idea, issue, condition or the like, especially to the point of minimizing, obscuring, or distorting it.”
Understanding reductionism will help you see a more accurate picture of our economy and how it will affect you at some point in your career. Certain professionals may no longer qualify for what’s open, or they may not live in areas where their skills are transferable to another job. What happens to those people whose skills no longer fit what’s open? What do they do now?
How To Improve Your Chances Of Employability In Times Of Reductionism
• Do not let unemployment stats influence your search strategy.
• Assess your profession to see how automation and outsourcing may affect your profession, trade and you.
• Be aware that just because you are licensed and have many degrees does not guarantee continued employment, especially if a robot can step in and do the job more efficiently.
• Ensure your skills are still relevant and cannot be replaced by technology in any form in your lifetime.
• Do not rely on your last or current job title as a qualification for a new job.
• Stay current on the trends affecting your profession and the industry or industries you are targeting.
• Review the demographics of where you are searching for a job to ensure there are enough companies that need what you do. Supply and demand vary from state to state, county to county and so on.
• Understand how your role and skills will benefit a company as a whole and why they are still relevant and needed. It goes beyond just stating that you have specific skills and that you worked in the field for years.
• Write your “compelling commercial” in the form of your LinkedIn profile and resume proposal. What you are “selling” about you must resonate with your employers, who are “buying.” If your profile looks and sounds like everyone else’s in your profession, it’s not good enough.
• Leverage and expand your network and realize that it is essential to develop relationships with people who will vouch for your character, performance and the value you will bring to the next employer.
• Refrain from applying to jobs until you have made insider connections first.
• Focus on what you can do, and show the impact you will have on the overall health of a company. The traditional approach to job searching and resumes is not generating the results that it once did. It is not about the format of a resume — it’s about the content and how it demonstrates with words how hiring you will solve what hurts in your area of expertise.
• Determine how much of your job will be left if parts of it are removed or replaced by technology or lower-paid workers.
• Take note of all new jobs created where you can transition your “left-behind skills” to another role where you will contribute to the overall profit margin.
• Consider working with a career coach who will keep things real and help you with your collateral and approach.
One must think of a job search like an audition. You are seeking a specific role. Now you must demonstrate you are right for the part, every step of the way, even when the odds appear stacked against you.
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