Multiplicity of Jobs for the Post Corona Decade
Having the ability to do multiple jobs, perhaps in widely varying fields, is going to be a definite asset in the coming decade. Included in this mix is starting your own jobs to keep yourself going between periods of paid employment. Such jobs can be based on your own location, skill sets, physical fitness, professional training, needs, and desires at the time, and can be expected to change over time. The concept of being trained in one field and working only in that field for a lifetime is past being obsolete, and in fact, is a dangerous mindset during a time when technological changes are coming at a very rapid rate and many millions are eager to take your job and work at a cheaper rate from foreign locations or do sub-contract work while drawing no company benefits.
The shakedown during the post-Corona period will see some 16,000,000 who are presently unemployed in the U.S. seeking work and scrambling for positions as well as many more millions worldwide. The savvy among them have upgraded their skills, and will often be willing to relocate to accept almost any available positions. With this large labor pool and the increased acceptance of remote work by industries, many in-office and support jobs have vanished. Even formerly large employers in the construction, food service, and agricultural industries will be able to find lower-skilled labor and replace them at a whim whenever management sees an opportunity to cut costs.
To help insure against unexpected shocks, the best insurance is to become proficient in not only a primary skill, but also in diverse secondary skills. For example, should a construction worker be injured, having some intellectual, rather that physically-based, skill set to fall back on can save one’s family assets and keep him and his family going. Conversely, an artist might need to learn a construction skill while he attempts to establish himself in the art market. Even those who went into what were once considered stable fields, such as medicine, academics, and education have seen periods of expansion and then abrupt contractions during this period with closures of doctors’ offices, college classes, and schools.
Given in your early life that you have prepared yourself to do more than one type of paid employment, one other thing to have in your mix are jobs that you create yourself. These can be temporary fill-in activities, like selling goods on line for yourself and others, shopping, or doing yard work to discovering and working towards starting your own unique business at some time in the future. This is the approach that I advocate in “Make Your Own Job: Anytime, Anywhere, At Any Age.” Ultimately you will discover and acquire sufficient experiences and knowledge to be able to withstand economic and personal setbacks with a multiplicity of skills that that you can call up when needed.
Wm. Hovey Smith holds degrees from two American Universities and studied at two others, is a Professional Geologist, decorated U.S. Army Engineer officer, the author of more than twenty books, a podcast radio host, the producer of more than 850 YouTube videos, an information scientist, and an international speaker. His most recent book “Make Your Own Job: Anytime, Anywhere At Any Age,” is available as a softcover, e-book, and an audio book from on-line and conventional booksellers worldwide.