There are a few warning signs that you’re on the road to ‘executive wasteland’ that mid to late-career workers should look out for. These include relying too heavily on past glories and performances, falling deep into a narrow expertise and not keeping up with changing shifts in technology, trends and your industry that could see you out of a job.
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If you ever do find yourself in this position, there are several things you can do. The most important is to talk about it. This is a growing issue that is as much a problem with society as it is personal, and there are always more people in a similar position to you than you realise.
Recognise the reality that it’s going to take longer to find a job the more senior you are, so try to plan ahead by saving as much you can in advance. A worst-case scenario might be up to 18 months without a full-time job.
Meanwhile, stay as visible as possible throughout the whole process, keeping yourself busy with contract work, part-time roles and even mentoring to share some of your knowledge with others.
Continue to network (even if that word makes you cringe) by going to events and participating in relevant conversations within your industry, whether in person or on social media.
With all the extra time in your calendar, brush up on new trends, using some of your time off to upskill in areas through short courses, education and experimentation. Lastly, surround yourself with family, friends and new routines, as it can be lonely and dispiriting.
No one willingly visits ‘executive wasteland’, but if you ever find yourself in that position, sometimes the first step towards navigating out is knowing exactly where you are.
Tim Duggan is author of Work Backwards: The Revolutionary Method to Work Smarter and Live Better. He writes a regular newsletter at timduggan.substack.com
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