Commentary: Think career resilience, not job security, amid season of layoffs

SKILLS THAT EMPLOYERS CANNOT PASS OVER

Intentionally developing expertise thus becomes crucial. There are skills aligned to emerging domains like learning to work with AI and cross-training into adjacent roles; there are also evergreen skills like active networking, critical thinking or conflict resolution.

They may not protect jobs per se, but they act as continual buffers for employees to expand options and traverse uncertainty. Staying open to continual learning and exposure to varied opportunities can enable fluid career pivots as industries transform.

I see this firsthand in my own team where software engineers actively acquire machine learning, Web3.0 and AI capabilities, grabbing hold of opportunities to learn and contribute as they pre-empt new industry demands. Non-engineering members also expand their understanding of relevant tech and stay agile during such times.

Industry-wide, aggressive hiring of AI talent amid tech layoffs further signal the importance of expanding relevant skills for the future to boost market value.

But upskilling alone will not be enough either. Employees must also cultivate a resilient attitude as our operating environment continues changing. This includes adaptability, learning agility and embracing change – or how to reinvent ourselves across corporate moves.

Job security is really skill security in today’s age of change. With deliberate effort, we have the capacity to transform difficult times into opportunities for self-growth. There may be little we can do differently to save our jobs, but a lot we can do to protect ourselves.

It is the best way to thrive amid economic headwinds, helping us to ride waves rather than be swept away. Treading water will only keep us afloat for so long.

Jolyn Ng is the Head of Growth at JetDevs, a Singapore-based provider of on-demand software engineers.