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The Death of "Careers" By Christine Durst & Michael Haaren May 31, 2012 The Web is like the mask in the famous Jim Carrey movie of the same name. Just put it on a profession, an industry, a job, and Poof! – instant chaos. If you need examples, look no further than the shoe industry (Zappos), journalism, education (online colleges), the outsourcing industry (virtual work)…. The list goes on and on. Now, get ready for the mask to be firmly planted on the concept of “careers.” THE FALL OF HP, THE RISE OF HU The story of Hewlett-Packard conveys the “new reality” in a nutshell. HP was the quintessential Silicon Valley company. It was founded in a garage in Palo Alto in 1939 by Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard, two electrical engineers out of Stanford University. (HP has even preserved the garage; you can see photos of it online.) HP grew rapidly. But despite their surging numbers, employees were still considered family. Even Hewlett and Packard were famously approachable. Steve Jobs, as a 12-year-old boy looking for an electronics part, called Bill Hewlett at home for assistance. Hewlett, then a wealthy entrepreneur, helped him find the part. THE HP WAY The company developed a managerial style called the “HP Way.” Because it worked so well, the HP Way was widely emulated. One of its core precepts was, “Don’t lay people off, even when revenues get tight.” The “no layoffs” rule generated tremendous loyalty, cohesion, and esprit de corps. HP exploded with innovation, productivity, and pride in its work. Fast forward to today. HP has just announced another round of layoffs. This time, 27,000 people will lose their jobs. Few companies aspire to the HP Way anymore. They, and their employees, find themselves in a much different environment. The ruling precept now is, “Heartless Uncertainty,” or HU. This is not to disparage HP. Companies change their management styles all the time. The Web and related technologies are the big game-changers. And just as “heartless uncertainty” now dominates many corporate outlooks, it also dominates the career-development field. After all, jobs and careers come primarily from companies. Their realities become ours. Their chaos becomes ours. PREPARING FOR HU Here are three tips for adapting to this new environment. You may not be able to map out a career strategy as in the old days, but at least you can be ready for unpredictability. 1. Be a continuous learner. No matter how much expertise or experience you have, much of it could be obsolete tomorrow (literally). And make sure you include technology in your continuous-learning plan. 2. Embrace contradictory opinions and diverse views. You don’t have to agree with people you can’t stand. This is about mental suppleness and flexibility. It’s a form of “mental play,” and play keeps the mind young. 3. In the same vein, get creative, and stay that way. There’s a reason artists often seem younger than their years. (Just look at Picasso painting in his 80s.) Creativity opens the springs in the mind and spirit. Keep a journal, write poetry, draw pictures, tell your children bedtime stories that you make up yourself. Embrace improvisation and spontaneity. After all, uncertainty is also known as freedom. ---- Christine Durst and Michael Haaren are leaders in the work-at-home movement and advocates of de-rat-raced living. Their latest book is Work at Home Now, a guide to finding home-based jobs. They offer additional guidance on finding home-based work at www.RatRaceRebellion.com. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com. COPYRIGHT 2012 BY STAFFCENTRIX, DISTRIBUTED BY CREATORS.COM |
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