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Monday, April 19, 2004
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VOLUME 1
ISSUE 8
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Past Issues
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Issue 7
April 12, 2004
Vol. 1
Issue 7
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Issue 6
April 5, 2004
Vol. 1
Issue 6
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Issue 5
March 29, 2004
Vol. 1
Issue 5
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Issue 4
March 22, 2004
Vol. 1
Issue 4
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Issue 3
March 15, 2004
Vol. 1
Issue 3
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Issue 2
March 8, 2004
Vol. 1
Issue 2
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Issue 1
March 1, 2004
Vol. 1
Issue 1
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Ask Liz
Dear Liz,
I have worked at a mid-size company in the tech industry for the last 7 years. I just found out that I am being laid off and they are outsourcing my job to another country. Luckily, I have been able to line up a job elsewhere, but am slightly worried about my job security. Is outsourcing to other countries the trend of the future? Would appreciate your thoughts and advice on how I can stay employed!
Thanks,
Alice
Dear Alice,
First thing - congratulations on the next job! That's a great accomplishment. Now I must give you two assignments. The first one is, as you go into the next job, your focus should be not just one doing the job, whatever it is, but on increasing your breadth of skills and the depth of your knowledge in every skill area you can touch. This has to be your highest priority, because the fact is, the outsourcing of IT jobs IS a growing trend. The best tactic I can recommend for avoiding having your job sent offshore next time is to be both a whiz and a generalist. You need to become the person whose value to the company is so hard to replicate that it would take three employees in an offshore facility (and all of them very clever) to replace you. Remember the old phrase "you're indispensable?" That's what you want your next boss to say about you. And you want to be indispensable based on what you know and how you apply it, not just loyalty, because unfortunately loyalty gets 0% of the value in a discussion about outsourcing of jobs.
The second assignment is to keep your antennae up as you go into the next job. Pay attention to whatever you hear about the company's fortunes and its plans. Yes, the next place could outsource your function too. Keep your networking alive, even as you focus on broadening your skills and becoming indispensable in the company. This is the new reality for IT workers - one eye on your resume, and one on the local job market. Good luck and keep in touch -
Liz
Each week WorldWIT founder Liz Ryan answers readers' questions about business, work/life balance, post-millennial social issues for women and managing in professional and personal spheres. Feel free to ask Liz about what's on your mind! Send your question to Thinking Aloud's Editor, Lauren Calkins at laurenc@worldwit.org. Questions are subject to editing for length and clarity.
[PRINTER FRIENDLY VERSION]
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WorldWIT Founder and CEO Liz Ryan
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Copyright © 2004 WorldWIT, Inc.. All rights reserved.
Thinking Aloud is the weekly newsletter from WorldWIT, the global email discussion network for women in business and technology. Thirty thousand accomplished and resourceful women share business, technical, career, financial and 'life' advice on connected local email discussion groups like AustinWIT, BangaloreWIT and VancouverWIT. Join a free, friendly, moderated WorldWIT discussion group in your area at http://www.worldwit.org Write to us at info@worldwit.org
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