They teach you how to get a job, but how do you keep one?
Getting a job is one thing, keeping one for years until you retire is something nobody prepares us for.
The corporate world is changing, we are no longer in 2021 (the best time to get hired and earn a lot of money, especially in tech), jobs are lesser than ever, and there’s a lot of skilled workers who are finding it hard to get a job.
The only thing you are taught in college or career fairs is how you can upskill and how you can GET a job, but how do you KEEP it? Over the last 4.5 years, I have observed a few things and learnt from them, these have helped me in getting a job + keeping it + also switching when necessary.
Well there is no trick to keep a job, it is 80% on the work you do and how your performance has been, but a career is not a marathon it is a sprint, and you are here for a good number of years.
When I say “keep” a job, I mean how do you build a good reputation and keep building on top of it?
Do and show impactful work
What helps in your resume is when you mention that you have done “x” to achieve “y” and got “z” results. Numbers easily justify impact. I know it might be “easier said than done” because it is really hard to get tasks that drive impact assigned to you, especially when you are beginning your career. The first step is to work with perfection and excellence on the tasks that are given, have a hunger for learning, and treat your manager as your mentor; they can help you with your career trajectory. One good way to show impact without getting things assigned is by having a “go-getter” attitude. For example, if you identify problems in processes or other areas, write a document with a solution, or even build a solution over the weekend. (If you are thinking about work-life balance here, treat such things as a learning opportunity or something that you can talk about or write a blog about if it doesn’t work out internally. Keep in mind not to leak any sensitive info.)
Talk about your work
You are your biggest cheerleader. Communication, both written and verbal, is an important skill. You need to be able to put forward your points and ideas. If you feel you are lacking here, take up courses, but build this skill. Other than this, have a brag doc, a simple document where you mention month-by-month the work you have done, the collaborations, and the impact you have had. This is helpful for you to assess the work you have done, see if you are growing or learning new things, and it also helps in having talking points during mid-year or end-year reviews. If there are public channels, all-hands, or some other places where you can talk about your work or demo it, sign up for those.
Upskill - take up that training/certification
If you had told me this (the certification part) a few years ago, I wouldn’t have agreed, but now? Especially with AI in the scene? Upskilling and having credentials attached does give you an edge. For example, MCP is the talk of the AI town. If you have learned about it and built something around it using the products you are aligned with, you are already seen as someone championing this new technology and will be automatically included in discussions about it. This also leads to how you can deliver more impact.
Also, every company will have a learning budget to help you learn something new. Use this to take up a new certification or maybe even a nano-degree and showcase how this can help you in your job. Extra experience and knowledge are always appreciated.
Understanding how the company is performing and what direction it is moving
Sadly, layoffs are a common part of almost every company these days. Nobody knows when you might be impacted (I have written some issues before on how you can navigate such scenarios), but one can try to understand the general sentiments. I will say pay close attention to all-hands meetings and every word that is spoken. It helps you understand which direction the company is moving, how the financials are, and what areas they are focusing more on. Honestly, it is hard to predict these things, but carefully listening to these messages and assessing your contribution to the company’s north star metrics can help you understand how important a resource you are to the company. All of these, combined with some gut feeling, will help you be prepared and know when to pivot.
Along with all of these, I also highly recommend having a peer group who can support you, vouch for you, and mentor you!
And that’s a wrap for this month. Hopefully these tips will help you maximise shareholder value for the next six months 😉.