Job Security? No Such Thing
The tweets usually go “I can’t stop thinking about [X],” but for me, these days, there are so many things that we collectively can’t stop thinking about that I never really know where to start. Suppose you’re trying to make your way in today’s job market. A market that I feel has swung radically from very “workers are reasserting their rights during and in the wake of the pandemic” to “everyone’s laying everyone off because executives didn’t like that whole ‘workers asserting themselves thing,’” in recent months, you’re probably hanging on by your fingertips the same way I am.
Oh, that’s right—hello! I’m Alan Henry, author of Seen, Heard, and Paid: The New Work Rules for the Marginalized, and your erstwhile host for this newsletter, which goes out, well, whenever I really feel like it. You understand why I would never charge for it now, don’t you?
So for a moment, let’s try to take our minds off of global geopolitics, international warfare, the rise of fascism in the United States, and well, everything other than the whole job market thing. Mostly because that’s the part I can help you with. Let’s talk about what job security actually is, and how you can find it.
Admittedly, a lot of these thoughts came up while I watched the bloodbath in journalism earlier this year. There’s something particularly disheartening when you’re in an industry and you watch it get hollowed out from the inside in order to keep the most powerful players in that industry happy and wealthy.
And aside from the fact that we're watching incredible voices (whether you like them or not) in journalism get razed to the ground, the real tragedy unfolds more quietly, after the press releases go out.
Now, all of those people laid off have to fight for a handful of jobs at publications that will absolutely wring them out, throw them away, and exploit them. Those lucky enough to still be employed will have to trade their boundaries and self-respect in order to keep paying the bills.
They will (ask me how I know) put up with being marginalized, their skills devalued, their contributions ignored, and have fewer opportunities to advance or make their voices heard. They'll be told to "wait their turn" in favor of the same executives and managers who set these fires in the first place; patted on the head and told "you're lucky to have a job at all," and then laid off the next time a private equity exec can't make his second mortgage payment on his summer home in the Hamptons or spring for that new yacht.
And in a way, this feels like it's all part of the gameplan.
The way the slow murder of journalism has been executed has served to protect the worst, most backward-looking people in this industry while sacrificing its future and the people who wanted to be a part of that future.
So whatever we get when this is all over? It won't be journalism. It'll be something else. I don't know what it'll be exactly—a combination of meaningless narrative features that make no impact and say the same things from the same mouths over and over again combined with SEO churn and roundups begging you to click this link before you buy a thing we're talking about or else the overworked junior writer gets laid off. A ton of truly embarrassing essays from the same cadre and class of people complaining about social issues they have no stake in, or puzzlingly asking out of touch questions about why no one’s interested in buying mansions anymore when most people struggle to pay rent (and don’t dare dream of home ownership anymore.)
It certainly won't lead to an educated and informed audience, and it absolutely won't have anything to do with "speaking truth to power" or "discomfiting the powerful."
But I know I’m dipping back into journoposting here, so let’s bring this around to some tips that can actually help you.
I’ve had enough careers and lost enough sleep wondering what was around the corner for me in all of them that there’s one thing I can clearly offer you: Job security, in itself, is a myth. What isn’t a myth, is being secure in your skills and your abilities.
That means that again, the only person you can rely on is yourself. Put your impostor syndrome to the side, your worries that you may not be qualified for a potential job, or for a career change, and remember: there’s some mediocre privileged person out there right now who’s applying for those jobs that doesn’t hold a candle to you—and if you stood up to compete with him, you’d win, and he’d cry and complain about DEI. Then he would move on to another gig he’s barely qualified for, and never doubt there’s any other reason he can’t get a job.
If you’re like me, spite alone at the thought would be enough to get you to throw your hat in the ring. If you’re not, that’s okay, your blood pressure is probably lower than mine. So instead, I encourage you to not just work on your confidence, but also use that work to improve the way you think about yourself and your abilities (and thus, the way you discuss your abilities and your personal history to others.) It may feel appropriate to be humble and show humility when you’re talking about your professional accomplishments, and especially for marginalized people, that can be true: After all, we all know what it’s like to sit in a room gladly discussing our achievements only to hear later that an interviewer thought we were “angry,” “uppity,” “bitchy,” or “intimidating.”
But at the same time, if you have the data to back up your claims, you can do a lot to unwind those biases with specific stories, anecdotes, and data that can hammer home that you’re not just bluffing: you have the skills to, as they say, pay the bills. A couple of simple tips:
Sit down with people who support you and you know are on your side, either in your career or personally. They can help you frame your stories about yourself in the most meaningful way possible; one that doesn’t overstate your capabilities, but doesn’t shy away from them either.
Practice talking about your accomplishments and achievements. Either with those same people, or ask them to do a little mock interview with you over drinks or zoom or something. Give yourself more opportunities to talk freely about what you do and what you believe in a positive way.
Keep that work diary! I know I’m a broken record, but seriously, the fastest way to keep track of your accomplishments and have great stories to tell when it comes time to do a phone screen or sit down in an interview is to write them down as they happen. You’ll keep them pegged in memory easily, and you’ll never have to flounder while you think up an example.
Keep the attitude. I say this cautiously, because, well, you know what I mean: but there’s a lot to be said for keeping yourself in the mindset of “this place would be screwed without me,” and “this place needs me more than I need it, I could take these skills and find something else anytime I want.” It’s empowering, and the more you practice it, the more you’ll believe it. And you’ll believe it because it’s true.
Honestly, if you need more mock interview tips, or specific techniques on how to set up a work diary or talk about yourself in a positive way, just hit the reply button and let me know. Maybe I’ll make that a more specific topic for an upcoming newsletter. Until then, don’t let the bad news get you down—you’re still a bad bitch, and you know it.
[ Worth Reading ]
Around the World in Eighty Lies, by Michelle Cyca: I love love love Atlas Obscura. I’m even acquainted with the founders! I say that to point out that nothing about this story is a dig at AO. In fact, the thing that terrified me the most about this is how easy it is for someone to just make up a background, pitch a bunch of great stories, use made up clips as a portfolio, and continue to get regular work as a writer. As an editor who works with a lot of new writers and early career writers, I’m terrified that I may be (or may have been!) duped in a similar manner. I’ve worked with people who set off my bullshit detectors before, and I’ve worked with people that I found out later have fabricated quotes or sources (although at least in one case, the story they reported for me was real.) It’s a terrifying reminder to watch your back, for sure, but also a good reminder that if you’re out here doing good work and proud of what you do, well, you’re already light years ahead of this guy.
The Hidden High Cost of Return to Office Mandates, by Mike Elgan: Mike and I have spoken a couple of times here and there, especially when Seen, Heard, and Paid came out, for which I’m very grateful! But this story, right here, examines something I’ve been crowing about for a while now, and why, even though I live close to my office, I prefer (and am grateful for) the flexibility to work from home. While execs and managers talk about things like “collaboration” and “idea generation,” as masks for “butts in seats” and “mediocre management styles,” they’re actually doing more harm than good to their employees, and making their companies less competitive in the long run.
Meditations In a Journalistic Emergency, by Matt Pearce: I loathe to link a substack, but Matt Pearce, who just got laid off from the Los Angeles Times in one of their waves of recent layoffs, put together an excellent piece here that touches on a number of the things I mentioned earlier about journalism and media, and the problems that plague my industry—not to mention some potential solutions. He says those of us in this industry shouldn’t give up hope, and boy am I trying my best to hang on to it, every day.
[ Try This ]
I was struggling to come up with a recommendation this time around, but the answer was right in front of my face (and many thanks to Jack for reminding me) the whole time: Take a mental health walk. Make it part of your routine. Some people do it every day, but I’ll be completely honest with you guys: I’m not there yet.
My therapist challenged me to take a while and talk to him on the phone during our sessions, and that’s been enough of a challenge (combined with the fact that it’s been raining the past two times we’ve had session together.) Part of it is that I am, and I imagine you also are, a creature of habit and routine. I’m much more comfortable going about my usual day to day, going from my bedroom to my office, working in the office, leaving the apartment for errands, and crashing on the couch later in the evening to watch TV or play some games on my phone.
Breaking that up with little walks makes sure that a: I get outside and get to put feet to the ground sometimes, some much needed activity for a sedentary writer like me, b: get some fresh air and sunlight, also difficult when you live in a New York City apartment, and c: helps me put my body into motion, which also helps me put my thoughts into motion as well. I don’t get a lot of time in my own head really, and if you do, like during a commute or something like that, cherish it. But right now, I hate to admit it, but getting out for a little walk around the block, even in the drizzling rain, does surprising wonders for my mental health, and I hope it’ll do the same for you too.
Besides, if you don’t want to believe me, there’s plenty of research to back it up. So yeah, go touch grass. You’ll be happier you did. I’ll see you back here soon. Hopefully sooner than last time.