46 OCTOBER 2022 I love that the last few years have been a job seeker’s market. Companies have made significant adjustments that seemed impossible before to recruit and retain the best employees. Salaries increased, and pay became more transparent. Many people began working from home. Work-life balance took a front seat. Employers had everything to gain by becoming more receptive to employee needs. Employers struggled to find employees. But don’t fool yourself. This is not a permanent state. Like everything in life, change is a constant. If you have a retirement fund that depends on the stock market, you have probably noticed that the last few months have been up and down. You’ve probably heard that the housing market is changing. You have likely seen that many companies are struggling overall. A downturn has been inevitable. Seeing how well things held up amid a global pandemic was surprising. The instability we’re feeling has been on its way for quite some time. The rights of employees are essential. Everyone should be treated with respect every day. There should be boundaries between the workday and personal life. Companies should pay top dollar for top talent. But a saying comes to mind: “Would you rather be right, or would you rather be married?” In this case, “married” should be swapped out for “employed.” We cannot assume all of the perks from a job seeker’s market will continue as it becomes an employer’s market again. The intention here is not to scare you. But if there’s one thing we’ve learned, it’s that anything can happen. You cannot assume things will continue the way they are today. Realizing that no one can predict the future, all we can do is prepare. The last thing you want is to find yourself in a difficult situation with no plan. If you haven’t updated your resume in a while, it’s time to dust it off and ensure it is current. Have it on standby, just in case. Don’t forget about LinkedIn. It should be updated and connected to your colleagues and have a recent photo of you. Your resume and LinkedIn profile are two of your most excellent job search tools. If your work is already feeling unstable, it may be time to go to the next step. You may want to begin to apply for jobs. Although the job market looks poor right now, hiring is still happening. It may be harder to find a job and may take longer, but it is not impossible. Set aside time each week to work on your plan. Think about where you would like to be in one year, in five years. Don’t wait for the future to happen to you. Lay your foundation now. Prepare yourself for the future Career Corner Career Corner Career Career expert and founder of Copeland Coaching. copelandcoaching.com BY ANGELA COPELAND ARCADIANEWSARCHIVES.COM In October 2012, Matt McMurry appeared on our cover. Back then, the 14-year- old was on a quest to become the youngest driver to ever race at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Five years later, he was featured on our cover after completing his quest. These days, McMurry is a professional racer and engineer.

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