Are You Ready with Your Plan B?

It is exceedingly difficult to create a great escape plan while you're in the middle of a fire. 

But, that's exactly what most people do with their careers. 

They behave as if layoffs won't happen, bad bosses won't be hired in above them, and the company can never fail. 

Luckily (?), I experienced a lot of this early in my career, so I've learned to prepare exit plans. 

I was at IBM when the first layoffs happened in the history of the company. People who thought they had a job for life literally fainted in the hallway when they found out that they had to pack up a box and leave that day. 

I was at Apple when coworkers had to pack up and leave a job they loved under the watchful eyes of security, while I'm pretty sure that what saved me was my knowledge of UNIX (Welcome to the family, NeXT). 

I was at a small startup that was acquired, shut down, and then we were all brought to a party room in a hotel for a mass layoff a few weeks later. 

Therefore, very early in my career I learned to have a contingency plan. I've talked about having Plans A through D for your career and business. It started back then. 

When I was hired back as an employee at a startup that felt "shaky," I created my first business plan to form my own design agency. I was prepared with my escape plan before the next "fire" happened. 

Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. 

So, when the day came that the company's future looked increasingly uncertain, I flipped the switch and put my escape plan into motion. Because I had taken the time to create a plan and be prepared, within a month I was generating enough revenue to easily replace and surpass my previous salary. 

The interesting side effect of having an alternative career plan in place is that you sometimes see opportunities that you otherwise wouldn't have noticed. Instead of missing a great opportunity, you're better positioned to rapidly take advantage of it and you have the luxury of deciding if you want to or not. 

It is much better to be in control of your destiny vs. abruptly being out on the street and trying to figure out your next move while you're under time and financial pressure.

Start working on your plan B today.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ready to redefine your career and reclaim your life? I provide one-on-one career consulting for a limited number of clients. Let's talk to see if I can help you with your situation.

Schedule a free 15-min discovery call with me