Make Yourself Valuable

Everyday it seems there are headlines that jobs are being moved offshore, automated or eliminated. We do not have to look too far in our personal networks to find someone that has been impacted by this trend. Globalization is causing a shift in resource alignment as businesses search for lower costs and larger markets. In addition the United States economy continues to shift from a manufacturing economy to a service economy causing a continual restructuring of business resource needs.

With the trend of the commoditization of labor due to a larger global market and the reduced time employees are choosing to stay in their current positions, business is not investing as heavily in career development training as in the past. The Chicago Tribune reported on a study conducted by The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) that “virtually all professional and career benefits tracked in the survey declined between 2010 and 2014.”

The news is not all bad for those of us who pride ourselves on adaptability. As it turns out, many markets for domestic white-collar jobs are growing. Forbes reports “Over the past decade, business services has emerged as easily the largest high-wage sector in the United States, employing 19.1 million people. These are the white-collar jobs that most people believe offer a ladder into the middle class.”

Our challenge is to adapt to this new market. In the service business the relationship of business to its customers has never been more important or valuable than it is today. With the economy shifting to a service-based model and social media redefining the communications model, relationships have greater emphasis than ever before.

Relationships have always been the key to business. Going back as long as commerce has been around, relationships have driven the market. Whether it is the personal referral of a local contractor for home repairs or the corporate connection to other businesses, it is driven by relationships. Even in the age of online shopping, it is often the opinions expressed in the reviews of the buying community that impact the purchase decision.

So what can we do to ensure our marketability in this changing market?

First of all, we need to realize that it is our ability to connect to other people, businesses and communities that makes us valuable. In fact the person-to-person aspect of the business process is the key component that cannot be eliminated. It may become more automated or move closer to the market, but it is a necessary component of the business model.

We make ourselves more valuable the more we know and can demonstrate our ability to use that knowledge to meet the needs of our employer’s business (or our business, if self-employed). In every case the more we are able to align our efforts and results with the core need of the customer, the more we help the business establish a stronger relationship with its customer. Resources that can demonstrate this ability are more valuable to the business than those that cannot.

We also make ourselves more valuable by expanding our network of contacts and tapping into their experience and knowledge. Others in our profession or social circles can offer insight and experiences as well as open opportunities for us that we would not otherwise encounter.
Increasingly we are in the business of Me, meaning that we need to see ourselves as a valuable asset capable of functioning within many organizations rather than expecting life-long employment with a single employer. Being in the business of Me, we need relationships to thrive as well. It is these networks that help us have a larger perspective as well as provide contacts for other opportunities. We need to realize that we are not stuck where we are now.

We can build our relationships through the people we know now, or have worked with in the past as well as participation in professional organizations and online communities. Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and other social communities are certainly great ways to establish a broad network, but face-to-face connections are important as well.

We also make ourselves more valuable by investing in ourselves. Even though employers are not spending at past levels on professional development, there are still many opportunities available. Whether it is through self-study or other employer provided resources, be sure to exhaust those opportunities. Be sure to consider stretch assignments to allow us to expand our experience base while learning. These opportunities go straight to our resume which is our personal bottom line.

If possible, move into the relationship end of business. This may not need to go to the extreme of joining the Sales organization; many of us are not cutout for that. However, we can move closer to the customer support portion of the business. At the very least we can make sure that we view our internal partners as customers and take a customer relationship focus to those interactions.

Lastly and perhaps most importantly we need to see ourselves as a unique resource with our own brand. In the end, we are the only ones truly invested in our success. Businesses and jobs will come and go but ultimately we are responsible for our success. Just like a business we need to increase exposure (network), expand our capability (gain knowledge) and project an image (market our brand) to the business world. As an individual, we are a business unto ourselves and we need to make sure that we carry our own success.

Here are a few tips to help us be more valuable:

1) Identify the area that we would like to move into. Look around and identify other areas of the business or other businesses that would benefit from our skills and talents.

2) Identify the gaps we need to close. Identify the areas we need to gain more experience or knowledge to be able to claim expertise.

3) Develop a plan to get there. Layout a step-by-step plan with clear first steps to get us started.

4) Look for opportunities in our current circumstances. Maximize the opportunities in our current environment to expand our horizons. Take the courses, attend the webinars, go to the professional organization meetings. Don’t forget to ask for that stretch assignment as well.

5) Be Bold. Follow the advice in the blog posting Be Bold.

Ultimately we are responsible for our own success. We have a greater stake in our future than anyone else. Even in a rapidly changing world, we can find a way to survive or better yet thrive. It is up to us to be prepared and move forward.

Again, thank you for taking time to be part of this community. I look forward to hearing about your experiences and perspective on this topic.

Thanks,

Skip Gilbert