Switching from a Suffering Industry to a Safe One

If you’ve been laid off from your job because the industry is drying up – or think you’re in jeopardy of this happening – and want to find a solution to your problem, you’re not alone. There are a lot of people who started out in the industry of their choice only to realize that it is dying out pretty fast. Being in this predicament doesn’t mean that you’re traveling down a dead-end road, however. In fact, it could mean the beginning of a fantastic new direction to your career, especially if you’re open to considering a safer industry to explore. What Are Considered “Safe Industries”? If you work for industries such as auto or financial services then you know how hard-hit they’ve been in the past months. Some of these industries have shed tens of thousands of jobs per month, making job stabilization an afterthought. For many, if they can just hang on to their jobs for another year, they’re happy. Of course, this is no way to live, which is why it’s good to begin moving your thoughts toward industries that still need their employees. Some of the more popular, safe industries include engineering, health care, information technology, government, and education. Engineers are in need because of the big shift to renewable energy. Because Baby Boomers are aging, health care associates are in greater need. Of course, the Internet age is moving at full speed, which means IT experts will always be in need. Our government isn’t going anywhere and needs a wide variety of employees at all times. And college instructors are now in high demand as unemployed individuals head back to school to get a fresh start. How Can You Make the Switch? If you’ve found an industry that you feel will mesh well with the career you already have chosen then your next step is to figure out how to make the switch. Whether you’ve already been laid off, or know it’s coming, there may be some steps you’ll need to take to help you more easily make the switch. Depending on the industry you’re switching to, you may need to take a couple of classes – or you may just need to go back to school completely. For example, it’s pretty hard to bypass the necessary schooling if you want to become a nurse. However, there may be instances where you can just slide right in. For instance, if you’re a car salesperson, but want to become a pharmaceutical salesperson, you know the art of selling items. If you can market yourself as a person who can learn quickly and get the job done, a pharmaceutical company just may hire you based on the sales experience you have. If you’re currently laid off, it may not be a bad idea to take a few extra classes to help repackage your skills on your resume and boost your self-esteem – anything you can do to make sure you make the transition to your next job as smooth as possible. It’s definitely not easy to be faced with a tough decision like losing your job. But by pondering the idea of switching to a safer industry, you might find you’re able to watch your job prospects and stability strengthen yet again.