By Rafe Needleman, 23 October 2008 13:04
NEWS
In the current economic climate and amid the constant stream of reports of redundancies and cutbacks, although it may seem gloomy, there's no harm in preparing for the worse.
Tech employees are a little different from the rest of the workforce so here's a list of specific things people in the tech industry might want to consider if they're let go.
1. Get involved in an open-source project
It's where the most interesting and influential products are being developed, and more importantly, many open-source projects are filled with people who are also connected to companies that pay their engineers. Plus, obviously, working on a development project will keep you sharp and expand your skill set.
2. Go to start-up fairs
Wherever people are pitching new businesses, be there. They're all hiring. If not now, then soon.
3. Get project work
You may not have a daily gig but you still have your skills, and there are people who need them. Head over to a project marketplace like oDesk and pick up some work.
4. Update your profiles
Go to your pages on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter etc, and let people know you are available for new projects. While you're at it, proactively send out notes to your trusted associates that you are looking for work.
5. Learn some new skills
Obvious stuff such as learning Rails if you're used to Java. But also other things such as cooking, rock climbing, riding a motorcycle - something that you didn't have the time to do while you were an employed full time.
6. Answer some questions
Scan Friendfeed and Twitter. Search for people asking questions in your areas of expertise, spend time in message boards on things you know stuff about. You'll see what's going on in the industry, you might be able to help people out (always worthwhile), and you might also land a tip for a job.
7. Buy some new tools
Yes, you're going to have to do the obvious task of taking a financial inventory and cutting back on your expenses but you will also need current tools to pick up projects. You'll be more positive about working on those projects if you're doing it on a shiny new system configured just the way you like.
8. Take pictures
Put your digital camera to use by selling stock-art pictures of household objects to Fotolia, ShutterStock, iStockphoto, StockXpert, etc.
9. Volunteer
It can build new skills and could give you material for a portfolio if you find the right projects.
10. Start your own company
If you have some savings and can afford to work for peanuts, it's a great time to start a company. Without the annoying distraction of a booming economy, you can focus on building a product to solve a problem you know people will have again when the economy loosens up. There is still funding even, for early stage companies.
Comments
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1. Richard
Interesting: Even during a crisis that some (still) blame on the USA; the American version of this article offered four more suggestions.
- More opportunity in USA?
- More freedom to move & to try something new?
- Fewer stifling regulations?
... or even more need for simple, helpful suggestions?
2. anonymous
Thats easy for you to say.
There are many talented people out there, especially technology executives that have been given the chop over and over again.
Since the 2001 dot.gone era, companies have repeatedly chopped their most valuable staff and executives first.
I know of several good people (including my father) in the states and Europe that have lost everything they owned because they were always the first to be made redundant.
No sooner have they got themselves in a good job again and stable, and they are made redundant.
How can the world expect people to survive like this?
Maybe this is the sharp end of capitalism. The people lose not the companies !!
3. Richard Sarson
What worked for me when I lost my job in the middle of the Thatcher slump of 1981 at the age of 51 was:
- Learning from an industrial psychologist that I had been been in a jo for 26 years, for which I was not suited. He sussed out what I should be doing.
- I went on a 3-month mini-MBA, which told me that all the managers of my previous company were a set of idiots, and what I should do to be better than them.
- Wrote a "Diary of a retired computer executive", and flogged it to a downmarket computer paper.
- Sent my wife out to work until I got back on my feet.
- Go freelance. I still make a modest crust 27 years later.
What I wasted a lot of my time doing was putting myself in the hands of laughingly-called Human Resource consultants. They are a waste of space.
DON'T apply for a job in major corporates. The larger they are, the more institutionally ageist they are.
4. Karen Challinor
11 - build a time machine and go back to the day you chose your course at university, find your younger self and explain exactly what the IT industry is like then get your younger self to go and be an electrician or a plumber as there's more money and job security
I really wish I'd done that, female plumbers and sparkies are in great demand