We’ve entered a new economy where you can’t take anything for granted. Don’t be surprised if you end up in a career or job you didn’t expect – it’s more common than you think. In order to confront uncertainty, the best thing you can do is diversify yourself. In the age of diversification, you need to have multiple sources of income and the best way to accomplish that is by having an entrepreneurial mindset. Think about career diversification the same way you think about managing a portfolio of stocks. If you put all of your money on one stock and it plummets, you are broke and living with your parents. On the other hand, if you invest in a series of stocks across various industries, you are more balanced and if one tanks you can stay afloat.

Although freelancing could be difficult for some, it is the easiest path to career diversification and it’s becoming more and more popular. Intuit predicts that 40% of Americans will be freelancers by 2020 and MBA Partners predicts that there will be more freelancers than employees by the same time period. With freelancing you can take on multiple clients and if you lose one, you can survive and replace that one overnight. Aside from the benefit of freedom and flexibility, it diversifies you in a way that protects you from economic uncertainty. I know this because I’ve done it personally and even if you work for a big corporation, you should be doing side projects (such as freelancing) just in case you get laid off. You can also parlay your entrepreneurial activity outside of work into a full-time job if you work hard enough at it.

Diversifying your career is the smartest decision you can make because it gives you the upper hand in your career, confidence, meaning and is your best insurance plan against things that you can’t control.

Pre-order Dan Schawbel’s highly anticipated new book,
Promote Yourself: The New Rules For Career Success.

]]> http://danschawbel.com/blog/the-age-of-career-diversification/feed/ 0 http://danschawbel.com/blog/how-our-risk-averse-society-kills-creativity/ http://danschawbel.com/blog/how-our-risk-averse-society-kills-creativity/#comments Thu, 25 Apr 2013 18:51:06 +0000 Dan Schawbel http://danschawbel.com/?p=1647 The easiest way to get a record deal from a major label is by already selling out tours, collaborating with major “brand name” artists and selling a million singles and albums. The easiest way to get a book deal is by having thousands of people already wanting a copy, already being a regular on Fox News and having a million dollars to spend on your book marketing campaign. The easiest way to get an internship is by already having an internship and the easiest way to get a promotion is by already taking on additional responsibilities and proving yourself in them. If you’re unemployed, there’s a bias against you and you aren’t as employable because you’re seen as risky. In other words, it’s easier to be more successful when you’re already successful because people are more willing to invest in you and feel less risk averse. It’s a catch 22.

I just watched the movie trailer for Thor 2, a film based off of a Marvel comic book series. Of course, there will be a Thor 3, 4, 5, etc. Hollywood will keep investing in films that are almost guaranteed to be profitable because of their fan base, top actors and well established brands. This is why books that sell millions of copies usually turn into movies. Even Inception, which some might consider a “risk” wasn’t really because they had Leonardo DiCaprio, an A-list actor. I’m still shocked that we haven’t seen a Wedding Crashers 2 or a Old School 2 but we probably will in the future.

Movies, books, bands and professionals who have huge potential usually won’t get invested in unless they are successful first. By the time they are successful, think of how much time has surpassed and how much talent was wasted. Candidates get filtered out of HR systems who are more than capable but don’t have the right keywords or haven’t had enough experience. This is similar to great movie idea that gets tossed out because it’s not a guarantee pay day.

I believe that we live in a world that is suffering from creativity because many of us don’t receive the same opportunities and aren’t given a fair chance. Think about the student who complained that all ivy league schools rejected her even though she was a near perfect student. If you aren’t the right person, at the right time, with the right background, you will suffer while the next person will thrive. This is why people complain that life is “unfair”. It’s unfair because it’s hard to unleash our creativity when people don’t invest in creativity unless it can make them money.

Social media has helped a lot of people get attention and advance based on creativity that “goes viral”. What about the creativity that doesn’t? What about all of those who have big ideas and thoughtful minds who won’t be heard? When I speak, I always mention that we have to think of ways to eliminate perceived risk as a way to get a job and advance in that job. If we don’t lower risk by taking on projects, even for free, and showing results, then we can end up unemployed and miserable.

In many ways, we have to play the game of “risk” until we achieve enough success to leverage that success and turn it into new opportunities. Of course there will be more obstacles, but it becomes easier to showcase your creative genius when people give you a platform, a job or a microphone. This is what we have to deal with in a bad economy when everyone is risk averse and those who don’t comply can easily be sidelined and their creativity lost.

It is my hope for the future that our systems and perspectives change, giving people a chance instead of filtering them out.

Pre-order Dan Schawbel’s highly anticipated new book,
Promote Yourself: The New Rules For Career Success.

Subscribe to the Promote Yourself Podcast on iTunes.

Sponsor: Moo.com is an online printer offering premium business cards, MiniCards. stickers and more. For listeners of this podcast, if you go to Moo.com/podcast you will save 10% on your next order! Now it’s time for the show.

This weeks show

Segment #1: My top 3 workplace trends of the week

1. Facebook “Home” disrupts mobile.
2. Workers have to meet wellness requirements.
3. Fired for a tweet.

Segment #2: Q&A

This week’s question comes from Brandon Singer. He asks:

“When stepping outside the corporate umbrella, when do you know the time is right, especially in a single income household”?

To ask a question for a future show, send me a tweet at @DanSchawbel.

Segment #3: Guest interview

This week I speak to Gene Simmons, who co-founded KISS back in 1973 and was also the bassist and co-vocalist of the band. KISS has exceeded worldwide sales of more than 100 million albums, 40 million of which were in the US. The merchandising machine of KISS has over 2,500 licenses to date and the band has broken box office records set by both the Beatles and Elvis. Among Simmons’ projects include the KISS Golf Course in Las Vegas, the Kiss Coffeehouse in Myrtle Beach and his reality TV show called “Gene Simmons Family Jewels,” which has been on air for nine seasons. He is also a partner with the global restaurant chain called “Rock And Brews” and has written two bestselling books. In this interview, he reveals the secrets to building a personal brand, how he’s marketed himself and how you can do the same.

Some experts says that the only way to move up is to move out. Employees can receive a higher salary by 15 to 20 percent if they job hop. They also have the ability to build their industry experience and network. The cons of job hopping are that you’re seen as disloyal and you have to start over again when it comes to building a reputation and workplace connections. I see too many people jump from company to company in less than a year and it’s a major issue. The only reason why you should move to another company is if you’ve spent two years in your position and you aren’t able to move laterally or upward in the organization. If there’s simply no room for growth, it’s time to start looking elsewhere.

Job hopping is a serious issue for employers who are looking to recruit and invest in the best talent. Employers have to recruit the best talent yet know that they won’t stay for long so they have to get the most out of them while they’re employed. I believe retention rates would increase if employers helped their employees create more internal opportunities for them.

Pre-order Dan Schawbel’s highly anticipated new book,
Promote Yourself: The New Rules For Career Success.

Subscribe to the Promote Yourself Podcast on iTunes.

Sponsor: Moo.com is an online printer offering premium business cards, MiniCards. stickers and more. For listeners of this podcast, if you go to Moo.com/podcast you will save 10% on your next order! Now it’s time for the show.

This weeks show

Segment #1: My top 3 workplace trends of the week

1. Job hopping is the new norm.
2. Your undergraduate degree isn’t what it used to be.
3. Be a giver, not a taker.

Segment #2: Q&A

This week’s question comes from Marianne O’Connor. Shee asks:

“How do I find a position that speaks to my passion, supports my lifestyle, and takes advantage of my talent”?

To ask a question for a future show, send me a tweet at @DanSchawbel.

Segment #3: Guest interview

This week I speak to Grant Cardone, who is an International Sales Expert and author providing Motivation & Sales Training Programs to Fortune 500 companies, small businesses, success-minded individuals and entrepreneurs. Cardone is an internationally recognized motivational speaker and is a New York Times bestselling author. He is regularly seen on Fox Business, NBC, MSNBC, and Business Insider. Cardone is the executive producer and star of “Turnaround King”, a TV program created around his motivating solution-oriented business coaching. He also hosts his own radio show, The Cardone Zone, where he entertains and educations listeners with tips and strategies to achieve greater success and break out of the Middle Class rut. In this interview, Grant talks about how to sell yourself, stand out, why we are all salespeople and how to develop sales skills based on his experiences.

Personal Innovation: The ability to see new opportunities where others don’t, create new positions/jobs that never existed, while undergoing continuous learning and adapting to economic change.

We can’t remain stagnant, feel secure and ignore what’s going on around us any longer. We have to constantly review the latest news, research and trends that are going on in our industries and tweak our positioning and value propositions accordingly. We have to gain new skills  - not just any skills but those that align with the demands of the economy. We have to stay educated, connected and confident despite these economic shifts and be able to come up with solutions to new problems that might not exist yet. Personal innovation is about critical thinking, problem solving and aligning your interests with the current and future market needs.

Pre-order Dan Schawbel’s highly anticipated new book,
Promote Yourself: The New Rules For Career Success.

Work is always happening even if you don’t notice it. Job seekers are all doing work – work finding a job. The difference between one worker and the next is the amount of effort they put into their work, how the work is getting done and the end result of that work. We are each given 24 hours in a day and those who use it most effectively will be the most successful.

Based on your ambitions, goals and responsibilities, you need to decide how you’re going to best use that time to your advantage. You can choose to waste it if you want to. It’s in your full control! Based on my experiences and those of my peers, I can tell you that a lot can be accomplished in 24 hours. Talent professionals are able to spread their time across their professional and personal lives, not with balance but with effort. Work life balance doesn’t exist in our society today because there is no end to work and there are so many variables in our lives that our priorities can shift quickly.

Pre-order Dan Schawbel’s highly anticipated new book,
Promote Yourself: The New Rules For Career Success.

Although this may be one example, more CEOs are pushing employees to take risks because that’s the only way business can move forward and a culture of innovation can emerge.  ”Bold workers” are harder to come by these days because everyone fears getting laid off and becoming a job seeker again when there aren’t any jobs. I believe that it’s a bigger risk not taking a risk in your career. I know that seems wordy, but it’s important that you realize that you can’t be static in your career because the workplace is unstable and you have to not only adapt to change but cause change to happen.

Pre-order Dan Schawbel’s highly anticipated new book,
Promote Yourself: The New Rules For Career Success.

Subscribe to the Promote Yourself Podcast on iTunes.

Sponsor: Moo.com is an online printer offering premium business cards, MiniCards. stickers and more. For listeners of this podcast, if you go to Moo.com/podcast you will save 10% on your next order! Now it’s time for the show.

This weeks show

Segment #1: My top 3 workplace trends of the week

1. CEOs are pushing employees to take risks.
2. Slacker employees can be detrimental to your work.
3. Don’t get sidetracked in your career.

Segment #2: Q&A

This week’s question comes from Brock Patterson. He asks:

“How do you leverage your network and relationship resources while job searching while not asking for too much”?

To ask a question for a future show, send me a tweet at @DanSchawbel.

Segment #3: Guest interview

This week I speak to Susan RoAne, who is a bestselling author and a sought-after keynote speaker. She is the author of “How to Work a Room”, which will have its 25th Silver Anniversary will be at the end of the year. She has sold over a million books worldwide and has launched an industry that she continues to create and shape in the 21st Century. She is also the author of The Secrets of Savvy Networking, What Do I Say Next?, How To Create Your Own Luck and Face to Face. She has spoken to Time Warner, Coca-Cola, Apple, Oracle and many other organizations, as well as some of the top schools such as Yale and Warton. Susan has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The New York Times, Cosmopolitan, The Financial Times of London, msn.com, and businessweek.com. In this interview, Susan talks about what she knows best, networking. She will teach you how to build meaningful relationships online and offline and how to best use those contacts to your advantage.

I believe that the workplace will (and should) become an extension of college. It will be continuous learning, not just through experience, but through a career department within companies. I could see it falling into the “learning department” and under the “chief learning officer”. Many companies such as General Mills and SunTrust Bank already have people in these roles but soon all companies will. Millennials are forcing companies to invest in them because if they don’t, they will leave.

In the future, you will see companies hiring career services professionals internally and externally to support their millennial workers. Millennials will see this as a value add at first and then they will end up expecting it out of all companies. Every college has a career services department so why shouldn’t every company have one too? Companies can use these departments to steer millennials in the right direction so that they will stay longer and become the next generation of leaders. It will also take away stress from millennial managers who have to give them constant attention, feedback and advice. That type of knowledge should be distributed to all employees and be consistent.

Of course, these departments should cater to all employees and we can’t single out millennials but since millennials will be the majority of the workforce in the coming decade, it will justify them in the first place. These career services departments will help decrease turnover rates and provide leadership development training and mentoring that will help with succession planning.

Pre-order Dan Schawbel’s highly anticipated new book,
Promote Yourself: The New Rules For Career Success.