How can I guarantee job security?

When you can see yourself working somewhere long-term, it’s possible to plan your career, make friends within your team and take on financial commitments at home. The good news is that employment is up and redundancy rates are at a record low, but despite this, it seems that many of us still worry about this issue. In fact, one in ten Employees think it’s likely that they’ll lose their role this year. Research from the Building Societies Association (BSA) also shows that 37 per cent of people are avoiding buying a home because they’re worried about their future in their current organisation. If this strikes a chord with you, here are a few things you can do:

Make yourself indispensable

To become a valued Employee – someone who your boss can’t do without – it’s important to go the extra mile. Find the pinch points in your organisation, the places where extra help is needed, and offer your support. A good way to keep your job secure is to make sure your boss can’t do without you, so use your business nous to develop your skills and expertise in the areas that are really needed. Always be enthusiastic, demonstrate your ability to bring something different to your workplace by offering new ideas, rising to challenges and gaining a reputation as a ‘go to’ person for advice.

Find somewhere where you’re valued

Knowing that you’re valued is not only a great motivator, it’s also a good indication of how secure your job is. So, make it your aim to find a company where the management cares about you, your development and your wellbeing. Research shows that 79 per cent of people leave their jobs due to a ‘lack of appreciation’ from bosses. To avoid this, think about the questions you need to ask in order to find out more. For example, what benefits do companies offer to reward staff for their hard work? And is it possible to determine levels of staff retention? Your ideal should be to work with a well-established team who enjoy their roles and have stayed there for a lengthy period of time.

Research companies before accepting offers

It can be difficult to get an accurate picture of what it’s like to work somewhere until you’ve met your new team. However, there are some red flags that you should look for. Interviews are not just for Employers, they’re also beneficial for you as a candidate. If the people you meet during the hiring process are unfriendly, the job description is vague and the hiring process is confusing, it may be worth taking a step back to reassess whether you would accept an offer. Poor management drives nearly half of today’s new workforce to quit, so you need to be confident in your new boss, including their leadership abilities. For an insight into your new company, try looking at their social media for customer reviews or Employer review sites like Glassdoor bearing in mind, of course, that these can only provide one side of the story.

Keep developing professionally

It may surprise you to hear that you’re the only one who is truly in charge of your job security. What do we mean by this? Well, by making sure you’re good at what you do, becoming a true expert in your field and upskilling regularly, you’ll never be out of work for long. The average person changes jobs 12 times in their career so don’t be afraid of switching companies to take on a new challenge if you’re not able to build your experience in your current role. By carving out a niche for yourself – a particular specialism which is highly sought in your industry - you’ll stand out from the crowd. Focus on being employable, not being employed, which means knowing your profession, networking with key movers and shakers, and making sure that people notice you.

Over the last 20 years, we have grown as a business to become one of the leading independent Recruitment agencies in Oxfordshire, and in 2018 have opened our first London office, to service Clients in the capital.

Can we help you? Click  here  for more information.