“You work in tech. Wow, that’s so cool!"
Assuming you work in tech, yes, you have a cool job that you likely really love doing. And if you aren't a tech worker, this article is still relevant for you because tech professionals have the same thoughts that you have.
Don't believe us?
Perhaps, has this thought ever crossed your mind that maybe.. just maybe.. that...
"my job isn’t as secure as I'd like?
These concerns are real and they do exist among the workforce in technology as well.
Fears about job security may arise from many things such as disruption due to automation of jobs, increased layoffs, the rate of opening and shutting down of tech startups etc. If you’re reading this and have similar questions and confusions, you’re on the right page.
As IT specialist recruiters in Singapore, while we don’t dispute that the ever changing technology landscape has been disruptive to our daily professional lives - we regularly witness how most automations create new job opportunities. In fact, it has been hotly debated that automation actually creates more jobs than it destroys.
With the evolving tech requirements required of the workforce in new business models happening at startups and that of more established companies, it is normal for employees to feel the jitters. It occurs to us that there is no blanket perception of what makes a job “stable”.
Oftentimes, a stable salary of a permanent nature is secure to most, but that is still not enough. In our experience of working with more than 100,000 professionals in Singapore on their career success in both the public and government sectors, what we can say is that job security begins with your own mindset and varies from person to person.
The real question that really should be on the minds of all job seekers is this:
“How can I stay relevant and employable?”
To answer this question and delve deeper into job security in the age of technology and disruption, BGC Group would like to share a few important takeaways for you:
1. Do not be hostile to change, be proactive, anticipate and adapt
Who likes change, anyway, right? Knowing a programming language does not make tech workers any safer from losing their jobs the next day. In fact, many of the layoffs or exits from the tech workforce of any company are due to change.
This could be change in technology/platforms that the company was using, change in management structures etc. While this does seem scary, you would be better placed to do something more creative and innovative.
We’ve observed that professionals who are proactive, flexible, adaptive and easy to accept change command a better position with their employers.
For the sake of a practical example, as a manual software tester, if you’re proactive, you know that a major part of your software testing job could be automated with the help of new software.
Instead of being afraid of this disruption to happen any minute, you can begin by anticipating how it is that the disruption can benefit you. In this case, it gives you more time to analyse trends and identify which aspects of development need to be honed better. The next logical step is to command those analytical skills and present to your manager the possibilities of what you can do.
2. Never stop upskilling, never leave the basics
Technology is here to stay but technology is also here to evolve with every passing second.
You become an expert in one tool and it becomes outdated the next minute and this is how this decade has progressed.
This doesn’t mean that there is no incentive in becoming an expert in a particular technology or tool but it is a primer to understand that the most pressing need is to keep upskilling and be a life-long learner.
Keep an eye out for developments in the field and in the market and keep picking up new skills. At the same time, don’t ever compromise on basics. For example, a particular network mapping tool becomes obsolete and you were an expert at using it. You don’t become immediately irrelevant to the company if you know how networks, routing and network mapping works. In this manner, you not only state your proficiency in using a particular tool but also in the underlying core technology behind it, which is very crucial.
3. Inculcate and enhance soft-skills for optimum success
As hard skills become increasingly automated, the soft ones have taken the center stage for employability. The most relevant skills in any job and also in technology, are the soft skills of effective communication, team work, decision making, networking and more. They are all practical.
Effective communication, for example, comes into play when you have a deadline to meet and you make a lapse of judgment in your deliverables.
Would you go into a shell after making a mistake or communicate with your manager to clearly make them understand the reason and thought process for why the mistake was made? This will be driven by how effectively you’re able to communicate.
Your ability to network seamlessly, for instance, gives you better professional reach and contacts in addition to the expanded pool of resources. In the time of need that you have to invariably switch roles or just to learn something and stay relevant in the domain circles, this network helps you.
4. Know when to ask for an expert’s help
Getting noticed, demonstrating your skills and finding the right employer for the perfect job security may not happen at once for you on your own.
As a recruitment agency in Singapore that has placed candidates who are fresh graduates at entry level - to the highly experienced, skilled and trained professionals, we realise that employers can face this issue of not finding the right match for their skillset. This is where our years of sourcing and recruiting expertise come into practice as we work with you to understand your skills and identify the best places for you to work at. As professional recruiters, BGC Group operates only on a strong understanding of your specific technological field so that we are able to help you build your candidate profile and provide you better career recommendations and visibility amongst our client employers.
Having shared all of this with you, we are certain that it is never too late to start with implementing any of our key takeaways in recruitment at any point of your career.
We hope that you gained relevant insight into how to achieve better job security in the technology space in spite of the disruptions happening today’s world of tech. If you’re looking to give your career in IT, the next big push or just start venturing into it, get in touch with us today!
We recommend you read these too:
The Best Industries for Job Security and How to Break into Them
Reasons Why Singaporean Job Seekers Should Learn Programming
How to be a Software Developer: Best Courses to Take in Singapore
5 Ways to Improve Your Hiring Chances While Staying at Home
5 Myths About Working in Singapore's IT Sector