To the Editor:
A recently graduated mining engineer is upset that, in spite of best efforts, he cannot find a job. A middle aged, well qualified administrative assistant is laid off by an educational institution and can't get more than part-time temporary work. She is thinking of getting a degree in social work so that she can be well employed for the rest of her career. An experienced teacher who could only get part-time, on call substitute work, loses even that.
Even though we know and accept that the 21st century world is very different, we tend to expect that certain aspects of our lives will still operate in a 20st century mode. Nowhere is this more evident than in the world of work and our ideas about jobs. Yes, we know that we will all need to be technologically savvy and have higher levels of education and training if we are to be able to earn a decent living. What we don't realize, or at least have not yet internalized and accepted, is that we will not be earning that living in the format of a conventional, last century job.
First, there is plenty of work out there. Those who know how to do something such as practice a trade or profession, operate or maintain equipment or sell new products or processes, will be able to earn a living. That does not mean that they will be able to get a job.
Conventional jobs, in the sense of secure, permanent, full time positions, are becoming scarce because the organizations that used to offer them have been changing. Companies now have to be globally competitive and very cost effective. They still need people to make and sell things and administer the firm, but using 21st century, continuously advancing technology. Rather than hiring large numbers of people in permanent and often stagnant positions, they minimize their on-going wage bill by using human resources which are not on their permanent payroll.
This could involve part-timers who do specific tasks. It could be professionals and managers hired, short-term, for specific projects. It could be an on-going contract to provide things like maintenance or even coffee service. Even telephone companies and other big, established firms that used to offer 'secure' jobs have been laying people off and turning to a more contingent way of getting work done.
Governments and related organizations like public educational institutions no longer offer the career-length job security that positions with them used to provide. Tax revenues are not infinite and past spending has often resulted in debts that put pressure on budgets. Here too, regular staffs are being reduced and short-term, part-time and contract work fills the gap. For example, in academia, tenured professor slots are giving way to term instructors.
How can one have a successful career in this jobless world? First, think like an entrepreneur and consider what good or service you can supply that some person or organization would be willing and able to pay for. Determine who those people or organizations are and find out the qualifications of those they select and how they provide work. Ideally, this should be done before choosing an education or training program.
Then, look for work rather than a job. Consider our recently graduated mining engineer. Most mining companies and others who need engineers do a lot of their work in the form of projects. They are reluctant to take on the overhead costs of permanent professional staff and prefer to hire on a contract basis. Offering to work as a consultant or contractor is more likely to lead to work than seeking a job and one contract can lead to another.
Be very careful about fields where the government is the only or major employer, like social work. The unemployed administrative assistant should find out what the graduates in social work are doing and how easily they find work in their field before enrolling in the course.
Our educational institutions can do more to prepare people for the realities of 21st century careers. To be fair, many faculty members still hold 20th century-type jobs themselves and may not be aware of how careers have changed.
Ultimately, the responsibility is our own. After family, how we earn a living is a big component of our lives. Investing the time and effort to determine what is out there in the world of work and how we can benefit from it is one of the best investments we can make.
Roslyn Kunin, Troy Media Corp.
