At our office we deal with supply and demand issues all the time. The fact is some of you are more in demand than others. It’s not a knock on you as an individual, it’s just that the world is changing and some career fields are not in demand anymore and in some cases going away!
Technology is changing everything. Will there be any retail stores in the future? What about retail banks? We know about bookstores and video rental stores, right? They’re all but gone, or will be in the future. So, are you in the retail industry? How are your future prospects for employment? What kind of job opportunities do you have? Will you be in demand? Even if you’re a great store manager will there be any stores to manage? These are the things you have to be realistic about when it comes to your career.
Take a look at your industry and career field realistically. What will it look like in the future? Can computers take over your industry? (Newspapers?). I have a radio show and believe me that business has changed. Do you know that most of the music stations you listen to don't have DJ’s anymore? It’s all automated now. That’s why you hear so many “talk shows” with ex DJ’s. They had nowhere to go so now they’re all doing talk radio. It’s kind of annoying, but that’s another story.
Will there be a need for what you do in the future? What can you do about it? Well, the first thing you need to do is evaluate your industry and your position within that industry. What will it look like in the future? What kind of demand will there be for the services or products and most importantly what YOU do? After you’re done, now what? Do you have to retrain? Go back to school? What do you need to do to prepare for your future? Don’t wait for your industry to “go away” prepare yourself now!
Is there a demand for a yellow pages salesman? How about telephone booths? How about newspapers? What about what YOU do? Will there be a demand for you? If you are having problems finding employment is it just a case of supply and demand? Are you an unemployed Blockbuster Video Manager? Is there a demand in the marketplace for a video store manager? You get the idea. Evaluate your career and your industry and be realistic about your future prospects.
I do have a rule of thumb when it comes to future industries, prospects and job opportunities. If the career field or industry has to physically do something, i.e., hammer a nail, repair an engine, fly an airplane, transport cargo via truck, ship, or plane, perform surgery, inject a needle full of medicine, etc., you get the idea. Can a computer take away these positions or industries? And there are more industries like this where there has to be some type of physical contact. A computer cannot deliver a computer, right?
Now, if you’re saying, “I’m not a construction worker, engineer, doctor, nurse, or truck driver” I got it. Here’s what I want you to do. Can you work for industries like these? In other words, if you’re a salesman, accountant, HR, or whatever you do, can you work in engineering or construction, a hospital, a transportation company, or in any type of technological company? That’s what I am talking about. So, find out if your industry or career field will be in demand in the future and if it’s not, make the necessary changes to make sure you will be in demand today and for years to come. Be realistic about your future! I hope this helps.
Good luck to you!
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