Another New Term for People Looking out for Themselves – Career Cushioning

Let’s find another alliterative phrase to describe workers acting rationally.

What is Career Cushioning, and How Can You Do It?

Career cushioning is the practice of creating a backup plan for potential unemployment. People call it cushioning because it is used to cushion yourself from the negative experience of an unexpected job loss while you still have a job.

The reality is that regardless of how hard you work, job security isn’t guaranteed. Career cushioning is about taking action to keep your options open while creating a buffer for wherever the economy is headed.

Let’s acknowledge something here. Employers might not want to hear it, but anyone in any industry should be looking out for themselves. I’m not saying you don’t continue to do good work, but you also have to take charge of your own career development, and you have to be aware of your options. Thinking that you can comfortably continue to do the same job for 20-30-40 years is foolish. If nothing else, the technology and the work will change. More than that, there is no reason to believe that the employer will be willing to make the same commitment to you. We’ve just watched large, prosperous tech companies lay off thousands of employees. Not because they weren’t doing good work but because the company didn’t meet revenue expectations, and companies that don’t do that are expected to cut expenses.

The quickest way to cut expenses is to cut staff. This is the way of the world in the 21st Century. Until someone comes along and changes that, it only makes sense to keep your options open. As the article I linked points out, that can mean keeping your knowledge and skills up to date, staying in touch with your network, and possibly looking at side gigs you could hop to if you find yourself in a company that is laying off staff.

I don’t see anything wrong with that. It’s not disloyal to your employer. That’s not the world we work in any longer.

Follow these topics: Career