With layoffs sweeping the technology industry at the fastest pace in over a decade, you may feel your career is in jeopardy. It’s anxiety-inducing news—but don’t panic. This is your golden opportunity to build crucial, career-building skills—and emerge a winner.
The headlines of today might bring back memories of the 2001 dot-com bust or the Great Recession of 2008, and it's easy to understand why. According to a report by global outplacement and career transitioning firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, 965 tech companies laid off more than 150,000 employees globally in 2022, surpassing the Great Recession levels of 2008-2009.
After a period of hypergrowth and aggressive hiring by many tech companies during the pandemic, there is speculation that we are seeing a correction as organizations look to rebalance their workforces. We're in the aftermath of a pandemic, and considering inflation, global conflicts and economic turmoil—well, it's a lot.
Even though surging layoffs and a sluggish economy are reminiscent of past times, we can't ignore the fact that life looks so much different in 2023.
Consider the increased prevalence of the digital realm in our everyday lives versus 3 years ago (and the astronomical differences from 10 or 20 years ago). We now have the ability to work remotely with ease, to create, shop, communicate across the globe, and to learn just about anything—whenever and wherever. It’s all technology-based, nearly all the time.
Organizations know this very well. In 2023, we can claim that nearly every company is a “tech company” in some sense; even traditionally low-tech industries have tech talent performing complex roles that did not exist a decade ago. App developers for apparel companies, data scientists for coffee shop chains, machine learning architects for drugstores—the list goes on and touches every sector.
The good news is that today’s digitally enabled world also delivers unique opportunities to shape, or reshape, your career. Individuals now have access to tools and resources that didn’t previously exist on this scale—like the ability to learn highly technical skills remotely and independently through virtual learning solutions. This makes it an excellent time to expand your knowledge and grow your skillset while you ride out the storm.
Turn uncertain times into tangible results
In the digital age, it is increasingly common that someone is learning a new skill or developing a “side hustle” (and maybe that person is you!). I truly believe that now is the time to boost your learning efforts so you can come out of these uncertain times with a wealth of knowledge and new skills.
Take advantage of the learning tools and technologies that are available today to drive skills development forward and at full speed. And that’s not to say you shouldn’t be brushing up your resume or networking to find a new role if you’ve been (or are concerned you will be) affected by layoffs. Of course you should—but see training as an extra set of armor to battle-ready your career options.
A gameplan for successful skill building
Taking advantage of a career lull can pay off greatly in the future. Here are some things you can do today to fit skills development into your gameplan:
- Enhance your career prospects by increasing existing expertise and developing new skills. Even if you aren’t affected by layoffs, it’s good to be up-to-date on hot industry trends and highly-sought expertise. Take advantage of any education opportunities that may be provided by your organization. Being well-trained makes you a more valuable asset to any organization, which in turn, makes that organization well-equipped to take on future technology and business challenges. Oh yeah, and did I mention how you can leverage resulting certifications to boost your current job potential as well as future career prospects?
- Reorganize and reprioritize your career trajectory, and better align your skillsets to your goals. Maybe there was something you disliked about your past role or industry and you want to move away from that. Or maybe there’s an area of interest that you haven’t had the opportunity to explore yet. Skill building is a great place to start your prospective journey to a new career path.
Top areas for skills development
Drive your career in the right (translated: most in demand) direction by checking out some of the hottest IT topics in 2023. At a glance, they include:
And don’t overlook the importance of power skills. Skills like critical thinking, collaboration and decision making are all key to maximizing your career prospects. Technical skills coupled with interpersonal intelligence help make you a well-rounded contributor.
Times like these can be stressful if you’re working in tech, but take control of your career options with training that augments your current expertise and builds new skills.
Now is the time to skill up, and HPE Digital Learner is a great fit for today’s busy learner. It provides self-paced training on HPE technology, popular IT industry trends, and business and personal skills development—to strengthen your career both now and in the future.
Start your 7-day free trial today!
Kristina Lechuga
Hewlett Packard Enterprise
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KristinaLechuga
I am an HPE Education Services Marketing and Social Media Specialist with a love for all things creative. I love marketing especially because I get to combine storytelling with an analytical approach to create exciting content. I'm an avid reader, painter, and music lover.
