Job cuts are sweeping across the U.S.
Big tech…
Media…
Finance…
Retail and more…
Yup, the wave of layoffs that started in 2023 has extended into 2024 – and it doesn’t look like it’ll slow down anytime soon.
But as scary as this seems…
There is something YOU can do right now to protect yourself and become layoff-proof…
In this blog, I’m going to tell you how.
Now, if you’ve been paying attention to the headlines over the past year, then you’ve noticed that there are a TON of layoffs happening across multiple industries right now.
It might have happened to someone you know…
Or worse – maybe you were laid off.
According to a survey conducted by ResumeBuilder.com – 65% of business leaders said they had layoffs in 2023.
Of that group, 25% say they’ve laid off 30% or more of their workforce.
And 38% of business leaders say they think layoffs are LIKELY to happen at their organization in 2024.
This all sounds big and scary…
And for the people it’s impacting… it IS big and scary.
Nothing is more anxiety-inducing than losing a secure source of income or fearing that you will in the near future…
But I’m hoping I can help ease your mind and offer a bit of hope to you today…
Because what I’m sharing with you will help you take back control of your financial future and become layoff-proof this year and beyond.
Now, I know many people decide to go the corporate route, take jobs at “stable” companies and work their butts off at a 9-5 because they think it’ll give them a steady paycheck and job security…
But if these mass layoffs have shown us ANYTHING, it’s that there is really no such thing as job security.
I mean, yeah, your paycheck is predictable… until it isn’t.
Which is why, in my – yes – totally biased opinion, freelancing is the ONLY way to have any real job security…
This might sound counterintuitive to what you’ve heard in the past…
But I’ll prove it to you.
In this blog, I’ll walk you through the 7 steps you can take to make yourself layoff-proof this year, starting RIGHT NOW…
Whether you’re already a freelancer or you are looking to escape the 9-5 grind…
Creating the life and business of your dreams – on your own terms – all starts with Step #1…
Step #1 – Diversify Your Skills
You should always be looking for gaps or needs you can help other people – aka your future clients – fill.
No matter what industry you’re currently working in, I highly recommend that you invest some time, money, and energy into learning new skills and staying up-to-date with emerging technologies and trends.
This is something I call lateral learning…
And BTW if you’re here, you’re already doing this, SO huge kudos to you.
Here on my blog, I share marketing and business tips to help you build a business and create a life you love…
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So, starting right now, take the time to learn and diversity your skills…
When you do this, you become infinitely more valuable to the clients you serve and to your future self!
But don’t just learn “vocational skills” or things that look good on your resume.
While these skills might get you hired…
They aren’t what make you indispensable to a business owner.
- Discipline.
- Motivation.
- Teamwork.
- Communication.
- Conflict Resolution.
- Ownership.
- Ability to take and implement feedback.
These are often deemed “soft skills”.
But any business owner will tell you that these are all REAL and IMPORTANT SKILLS we desire in the people we hire.
YES, it’s important that the person has the skills and experience I’m hiring for so I know they can do the job…
But if I’m trying to decide between two candidates – one who is AMAZING at what they do… but they don’t have the best communication skills…
And one who is PRETTY GOOD at what they do, shows potential to get even better, has good communication skills, a good attitude, and willingness to learn…
I’ll hire the second one every time.
I loved reading this article by Seth Godin…
He says:
“By misdefining ‘vocational’ and focusing on the apparently essential skills, we’ve diminished the value of the skills that actually matter…we give too little respect to the other skills when we call them “soft” and imply that they’re optional. It turns out that what actually separates thriving organizations from struggling ones are the difficult-to-measure attitudes, processes and perceptions of the people who do the work.Culture defeats strategy, every time.”
Seth Godin
These “soft skills” are not optional. They’re real, they matter, and they will be your saving grace.
Don’t underestimate them.
Step #2 – Diversify Your Income Sources
This one is pretty straightforward…
The more income sources you have…
The more job security you have.
Simple.
When you’re a freelancer and work with multiple clients or projects, if one falls through, you’ll have another client (or alternative sources of income) to fall back on…
You never have to put all your eggs in one basket.
In fact, as a copywriter there are MANY ways you can get paid… and if you stick around till the end, I’ll share a tutorial on 7 ways you can make money online as a writer. It will play right after this one.
Now… if you’re a freelancer who follows a more “traditional” role – meaning you work with ONE client full-time…
And you don’t have the capacity to work with multiple clients at once…
Pay attention to step #4, because I’ll give some tips for you there.
Step #3 – Invest In & Trust Yourself
I know starting a freelancing business can seem daunting at first, but I promise it’s not as complicated as you think it is…
Investing in learning these basic business skills can serve you VERY well when it comes to your future career security…
Remember, YOU ARE THE SUREST ASSET YOU HAVE – yes YOU!
That’s one of the things about freelancing I LOVE – when you’re a freelancer, you’re not just learning the skills you’re technically getting paid for…
You’re learning skills like sales, negotiation, resilience, grit, time management, financial management, multi-tasking and ALL the other skills that come with running your own business like:
- Learning how to better understand people and what you can offer them for an exchange of value…
- How to spot opportunities better than most…
- What makes people tick and click…
- How to deal with uncertainty…
- And how to think 10 steps ahead.
These are all skills that make you unstoppable and investing in these skills will NEVER not serve you…
Because no matter what happens, you are learning to TRUST yourself and your ability to figure anything out.
Even if you lose a job, you know what you need to do to move forward and get back on track…
I love this win one of my Posse members recently shared in our Facebook Group that highlights this perfectly…
She said…
And just one month later she posted…
Step #4 – Plant Seeds Everywhere & Often
Let’s be real…
As indispensable as you are… that isn’t going to matter much if the company you work for has to cut your budget… like in the example I shared in Step #3…
But another perk of being a freelancer is that you’re never “tied” to one specific company or job…
As a freelancer, you are literally “free” to explore other options AT ALL TIMES,
And you should be!
Now I’m not saying you need to have a job offer on the table 24/7…
But you SHOULD always have some contacts in your back pockets.
Always be planting seeds…
Networking…
And having conversations with people in your niche who could potentially be a great future client…
It’s never a bad thing to have a waitlist of clients who want to potentially work with you or a couple of aces in your back pocket if one client falls through or has to let you go.
Step #5 – Build Your Experience & Authority
Lateral learning and honing new skills are GREAT.
But don’t let that distract you from honing the #1 freelancing skill that is getting you paid.
Remember, an expert at one thing is 100x more valuable than a novice at a hundred things.
This is why, after you have some experience under your belt, I recommend eventually niching down and working with a specific type of client or in a specific industry…
This level of specific experience will help you further hone your skills, build your authority, and make you an invaluable asset to the RIGHT client or team…
Someone who cannot be easily replaced.
Combine that expert knowledge with all the additional skills you’re actively learning about to better serve your clients and grow your business….
And you’ve just made yourself INDISPENSABLE.
Step #6 – Join A Community
There are several reasons for this…
- Community makes you feel less alone.
- Community gives you people to bounce ideas off of and hear what’s working / not working for others.
- Community offers support, guidance, information, training, referrals and so much more.
Trust me…
When shit hits the fan you will want NOTHING more than a community to help you through it.
I love this post that one of my community members shared…
So whether you’re looking for work, trying to expand your offers, need help breaking past an income barrier, want to “put yourself out there more” on social media or have a question about how to approach a client…
Community is truly invaluable.
And for 99% of freelancers – THIS is the thing they are missing most.
If you’re a freelancer and you are ready to grow your confidence, consistently land high-quality clients, and make your first $10,000/month…
And if you’re looking for a community to be part of, learn more about my new membership for freelance copywriters that’s launching very soon.
Step #7 – Master Your Mindset
And finally…
At the end of the day, it all comes down to this….
Mindset.
Mindset is everything.
One of my community members shared this…
“Big #win today! Sorry if I’m all over the place, I literally just got off of a discovery call with a dream client. My hands are literally shaking! It seemed to go really well, but they still have interviews, so who knows! If I were to get this position, I would be the marketing strategist, content manager, AND copywriter. And ALL still on a freelance basis. Wow, I can barely type. 🤪 I reallly hope I get to the next round, but I’m reminding myself that what’s meant for me is meant for me. I showed up as myself and came with the mindset that I’m here to serve them and they need what I have to offer. Before this I wouldn’t have even attempted to apply for such a big position or have stated such a high number for my price, but I did! I even asked for more when i realized how much I would be doing. Just feeling so much #gratitude for Alex, Reign and everyone for always being so inspiring and supportive! I should hear from them within 48 hours, so we’ll see how it goes!”
YESSS this is what I’m talking about.
With a mindset like this, you cannot lose.
Going into a doom spiral when something goes wrong is not going to help you…
It’s OK to pivot.
It’s OK to start over.
It’s OK to switch niches.
It’s OK to switch industries.
It’s OK to change your whole damn career. Anytime. For any reason.
The possibility of being laid off is scary as hell…
But REMEMBER – you are resilient. You are gritty. You have the power to create your own reality and control your financial future.
When you are a freelancer, you have all the FREEDOM & SKILLS to change your life a hell of a lot faster than someone with a very specific 4-year college degree can…
So, if you’re ready, follow the steps to start freelancing and become layoff-proof…
And if the evitable DOES happen…
Do not panic.
With the right mindset and the right community backing you up, you’ll get right back up like nothing even hit ya. 😉
I’ll see you next week with a brand–new blog. Until then, I’m Alex. Ciao for now.
