Time was you woke up early, stumbled in for your morning cup of coffee, jumped in the shower, hurried the kids off to school, and out the door you went headed to work. Many mornings, I'm sure, you didn't even remember how you got to work. It's as if your unconscious mind drove the car for you because your mind was clouded by all the events that awaited your arrival. Perhaps you were lost in dreams of what you really wanted out of life. Which ever, you arrived, completed your day, and went home only to start the same routine the next day.
Time was you went to work for someone else. You had to work at least eight hours a day - maybe more to get any sort of descent pay or benefits. Sometimes it also required you to work nights, weekends, or even holidays; all time spent away from your family. And what did you get in return for years of hard, dedicated work?
Well the times are changing and the job opportunities are shifting to other locations. For millions of those unemployed who are struggling to a find job, a different perspective may be in order.
Recently I had a conversation with a good friend of mine who is also my county commissioner. He, like most politicians, is feeling the pinch of dwindling coffers, sky-rocketing unemployment, and very upset constituents. He was telling me his plans of economic recovery for our community. "Mike, if I could just get this industry to come here" and "If I could just get this initiative passed." All of his plans relied on corporations uprooting one community and moving here - something that is not likely going to happen any time soon especially since many corporation are talking about leaving the country since the Obama administration continues to talk about tax hikes.
When he finished he asked what I was doing. I explained that I am working toward educating people who are unemployed on the various opportunities available to them. When I explained to him all the businesses people can create online to help them get back on their feet, he sat back in his chair and said, "That certainly is a paradigm shift. I would have never thought about that if I were in that position."
Times are changing, indeed they already have. More and more people are shopping online. Why spend time and gas to drive to a store, look for products only to find they don't have the one you wanted forcing you to settle for an alternative, then wasting time waiting in line only to be greeted by an ungrateful teen who believes the world owes him something and who is waiting for their next break? Think about internet marketing, affiliate marketing, and niche marketing.
As I said, people are beginning to shop more online. But more than that there is beginning a shift for more people to work at home - look at the opportunities that already exist for data entry work. Medical transcriptionists have been using the internet to transfer files back and forth.
You don't need me to tell you that right now businesses are shutting down and many people have been laid-off and are looking for work. When the economy rebounds companies will re-open but will look for ways to trim their overhead. By hiring people to work at home companies will be saving a ton of money. No benefits package to pay since you're an independent contractor. No rent and utilities for office space. No insurance premiums.
And for the employee, what benefits do they derive? Freedom, for one; the ability to work around their schedule and not that of the office. No more commutes; time wasted in traffic. So long as the deadlines are met who cares when the work was done. And just imagine the impact this will have on the dynamics of the family as more parents are home with their children.
Times have changed and if you're unemployed you should be thinking about changing with them. Think about your talents, your passions, your expertise, and your experiences and think about how you can capitalize on them. Think about starting your own business rather than waiting for someone else.
If you've found this article intriguing and would like to learn more please visit my website.
Paradigm Shift - Rethinking How We Work