“I’ve always thought of myself as someone steady and stable. Other people say they don’t see me that way, at least, not lately. I’ve had four jobs in five years and some interviewers are telling me that I’m unemployable. I never in my life thought I’d hear something like that.  I was with my first employer for 21 years. I figured I’d stay with them until I retired but the owners had to close the doors when they couldn’t keep up with competition. I realize now that I’ve never recovered from losing that job. When it happened, I had one kid in college and another ready to go. I needed work, I was scared, and I jumped at the first thing I could get. Big mistake. I lasted 90 days. The boss pushed me around like I didn’t know what I was doing. One day, I pushed back, hard.  I didn’t wait around to get fired, I walked out. It was a stupid thing to do, but I wasn’t thinking clearly back then.

Second job. I was more careful in the interview, asked better questions, and thought that I had a pretty good match. The position didn’t pay as much as I had earlier made, but the people were friendly, and the boss was a really nice guy. I was there almost a year when the company started having trouble and cutting costs. I was last in first out. You know how it goes. I didn’t want to leave and they said they hated to cut me loose, but they didn’t have much choice.

Back on the street. The third job was in sales and a loser from the word “go”. The owner painted a rosy picture and made all kinds of promises about the money I’d make and the vacations I’d take. None of it was true, from the paycheck, to the hours, to the perks. I was stressed, out of my league, spending money I didn’t have, and frustrated. I got into an argument with my boss, who told his boss that I was threatening him. I apologized and thought I had straightened it out. Next thing you know, I’m pounding the pavement.

Fourth job. I went into it tired, scared, looking over my shoulder, keeping my head down, and doing my job. When trouble came it blindsided me. I had a worksite accident. Not bad, but enough to put me on my back for a few weeks. Tell you the truth, I think I was relieved to have time off and not worry about getting canned. When I returned to work the supervisor said that I stayed out longer than the injury warranted and she had to replace me.

So, here I am, out of a job and out of options. What happened to my career? How can I get back to having a steady job and a stable life?

It’s not unusual to hear this story of upheaval and drift from individuals whose early employment had been steady, predictable, and long term. Most of them worked for traditionalists in conservative companies that “didn’t fix what wasn’t broke” because there was no obvious and compelling need. When mergers, acquisitions, and buy-outs resulted in smaller, flatter, and leaner companies, changes came in waves, and those companies and employees least apt to adapt, and ill equipped to survive, were swept away. The result was and is, a sizable number of underemployed people struggling to find the good old days in a workplace that’s focused on just making it to payday.

What does it take to be tomorrow’s employee, today?  Desire, dedication, and receptivity to learn what you don’t already know and the ability to learn it on the run. Practical optimism, self esteem, versatility and flexibility. Self- starting skills with goal focused objectives.

Tomorrow’s employee, today, has the professional savvy to know how to persuade when she doesn’t have power. He knows how to manage without having to manipulate. They know when to lead and how to follow, when to negotiate, delegate, and empower. They know when to talk, when to listen, and when to get into the trenches and get the job done.