Staying Employed Is Harder Than Getting Hired

Getting a job is relatively easy. It’s staying employed that’s hard.

Think about it. We put an extraordinary amount of energy into landing a job . We polish our résumés, practice for the interviews, network like mad, preparing for that one big opportunity. The focus is on getting through the door. But once we’re in, many of us hit cruise control. We settle into the role, grow comfortable with our routines, and focus only on doing the job we were hired to do.

That’s where the problem begins ….

We’re no longer living in a world where you could expect to work one job — or even one career — for life. Our grandparents might have spent 30 years with a single employer, retiring with a gold watch and a farewell party. But that era is gone. Today, the average person will hold 12 to 15 jobs across their lifetime. Career paths are no longer straight lines. They are more like jungle gyms, with lateral moves, industry switches, and pivots becoming the norm.

And here’s the killer. The skills that got you the job won’t necessarily keep you employed. Technological change, automation, and evolving market needs mean that skills can become obsolete in just a few years. In fact, some studies estimate the shelf life of a technical skill is 2.5 to 5 years. What was…