Monday, January 22, 2007

Could Your Job Become Extinct?

Job extinction, it could happen at anybody. Yesterday’s secure job can be tomorrow’s outsourced job. What used to take decades to occur is now happening in less that a decade.

Here are five signs that job extinction may be happening to your role at the company:

Number 5 – You are doing almost exactly the same work you did 5 years ago. You haven’t had to learn anything new to do your job in the past 5 years.

Number 4 - Your job is protected (by government regulation, or other non-market means) and you do not talk to your customers and end users.

Number 3 – Automated computers or robots can do your job and are doing it at other companies.

Number 2 – China and India now make the same products or provide the same services. The quality is as good as yours and the cost is significantly lower. Another even worse scenario, Thailand and Vietnam are the regions of competition. Even the Chinese and Indian businesses fear these countries.

Your neighbors and friends use products and services from Asia and Southeast Asia instead of your company's product. Worse yet, your spouse does.

And the Number 1 reason is – The product or service your company makes or provides is being replaced by something new and better, for example CDs versus vinyl records.

Interestingly, many of these jobs may be high paying and well respected. Remember, just a few years ago computer programmers had job security. Now some of their work is being outsource overseas.

Next Monday - read strategies on how to protect one's career through continual growth and personal reinvention.

For more on Strategies and Plans , check back every Monday for a new segment.

Photo Credit: morgueFile.com, Gargouille

This is not financial or career advice. Please consult a professional advisor.

Copyright © 2007 Achievement Catalyst, LLC

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