I will fully admit when I first saw the headline of Lifehacker's recent post, "How to Futureproof Your Job with a Career Insurance Policy," I was really hoping that a major insurance company had branched out into providing us all with a success safety net. Despite my disappointment in learning that I wouldn't get to see a gecko or a human disaster area selling me career insurance in a television ad anytime soon, I found the actual advice very useful.
The full post is here and worth a read, as always. But in summary, if you want to protect yourself against the slings and arrows of career misfortune, you need to follow these steps:
1. Save your money.
Everyone from Suze Orman to your mom has told you this, but it’s still true: You need an emergency fund.
2. Keep learning.
Picking up new skills makes you a more desirable hire, allows you to switch careers with greater ease, and just plain makes you feel less stressed out in your present job.
3. Network, network, network.
Go out to coffee with old coworkers. Connect with people online. Join a professional association. Most of us have the urge to roll our eyes and groan when we hear the word “network,” but it’s really just a corporate way of saying that you need to make friends in your industry and participate in your community.
4. Update your resume — and then don’t hide your light under a bushel.
It’s amazing how often we neglect to update our resumes to reflect new skills, new titles, and even brand-new jobs. Even if we’re on top of that, we might be reluctant to brag about our abilities. Forget about all that. It’s not bragging if it’s true, and as Alan Henry points out, you can promote yourself without being sleazy.
5. Try to make money off of your hobbies.
There’s nothing like a second income stream to allay your fears of professional failure.
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