When faced with uncertainty in any given industry or with doubt about job security, people often find bogeymen in technology. Tasks that once took unique education and skills can now be rendered automatic — often fulfilled by a bot or machine.
As software engineers will tell you, coding is more sophisticated and innovative than ever. But big tech is not necessarily the bad guy. Globalism has spurred furious levels of competition that are at least equal to technology as a cause for some economic anxiety. High-paying jobs can get outsourced or shifted off shore without warning, regardless of your value to an industry.
But there is an antidote that you alone control and it is called building your brand. Here are some steps to ensure certainty and security for your income:
- Develop your network of contacts, particularly those who like and trust you
- Focus on your story, not your resume. Assume your inevitable Google search
- Have a unique approach and an openness to innovate
- Consider yourself as an enterprise others need to know about
- Make every deal about who you are, not what it says on your business card
- Strengthen your core passion and don’t sweat the scenery
- Make sure your business is known for something unique that reflects you
- Develop your own intellectual property and claim a leadership role in your niche
The beauty of building your brand is that where you are won’t matter nearly as much as your network of people and your ideas. You have total control.
