Packing a go bag for your career
The job market is slow and picky this spring. You can't control whether your job lasts, but you can keep a bag packed by the door.
In earthquake country people have a bag ready by the door. Water. A flashlight. Copies of important documents. Shoes you don’t mind trashing. People don’t think the ground is going to shake tomorrow. They just know they can’t control it.
The spring job market for engineering seems a lot like living near a fault. Fewer jobs. Many people for each job. Few voluntarily leaving. So much of whether a job is permanent is done in places you will never see. A reorg. A missed funding round. A new executive. A different plan. A love of slides.
Much of what you have control over is what’s in your bag. Assuming your job ended today, how long would it take to get a good one?
I’m not sure I’d like my answer. Someday the market will shift. For now, I’m carrying a flashlight.