What to Do When Your 'Safe' Career Suddenly Feels Unstable

Open any news site this week and you'll see the same headlines: layoffs, hiring freezes, return-to-office mandates designed to make people quit. Add in the constant drumbeat about AI displacing jobs, and it's no wonder people are on edge.

The ground is shifting. And if your "safe" career suddenly feels a lot less secure, you're not imagining it.

The Stability Myth

During my 25+ years in public service, I met countless people who chose government work, not only for the dedication of service, but also for the stability. In addition to making impactful changes, they enjoyed predictable hours and steady paychecks. The comfort of knowing your job would be there tomorrow.

But that security? It's eroding faster than most people realize—and not just in government. The "safe" career doesn't exist anymore, not the way it used to.

Tech companies that were hiring aggressively two years ago are now cutting 10-15% of their workforce. Industries that seemed recession-proof are consolidating. And companies are using return-to-office policies as a quiet way to reduce headcount without official layoffs.

We're in the middle of a momentum shift in the job market. And waiting for things to "stabilize" isn't a strategy—it's wishful thinking.

What This Instability Is Trying to Tell You

Here's the uncomfortable truth: if your career feels unstable right now, it might be exposing something else that was already there.

Maybe you've been coasting in a role that stopped challenging you years ago. Maybe you stayed because it was comfortable, not because it aligned with what you actually wanted. Maybe the instability isn't just external—it's internal, and the market turbulence is just making it impossible to ignore.

I've been there. I stayed in roles longer than I should have because they felt safe, even when I knew I'd outgrown them. The cost? Time I'll never get back and opportunities I missed while playing it safe.

The instability you're feeling isn't just about the economy. It's a signal that something needs to change.

What You Can Actually Control

When everything feels uncertain, the temptation is to freeze or panic. Neither helps. Here's what does:

1. Focus on What You Can Control

You can't control layoffs, AI adoption, or your CEO's return-to-office policy. But you can control:

- How you spend your time outside work hours

- What skills you're building

- Who you're connecting with

- How prepared you are for whatever comes next

Stop consuming anxiety-inducing news and start investing in yourself.

2. Reflect on Your Values

When the ground is shifting, values are your anchor. Ask yourself:

- What actually matters to me in my work?

- Am I staying here out of genuine alignment or just fear of change?

- If this job disappeared tomorrow, would I try to recreate it—or would I see it as an opportunity?

Most people realize during instability that they've been tolerating a career that doesn't fit. Don't waste the clarity.

3. Build Security Through Skills, Not Titles

Your job title won't protect you. But your skills will.

Identify 2-3 skills that are valuable across industries and start building them:

- Leadership and people management (always in demand)

- Strategic thinking and problem-solving (AI can't replace this)

- Communication and relationship-building (the human advantage)

Upskilling isn't about panic-learning whatever's trending. It's about becoming more valuable regardless of where you work.

4. Activate Your Network (Before You Need It)

Most people only network when they're desperate. That's backwards.

Reach out to former colleagues, industry contacts, and people you admire. Not to ask for jobs—just to reconnect. Have coffee. Ask what they're working on. Offer to help if you can.

When instability hits, the people with strong networks land faster and better than those who don't.

5. Tend to Your Mental Foundation

Instability is exhausting. Acknowledge how you're feeling instead of pushing through it.

Routines matter: exercise, sleep, time with people who ground you. Mindfulness helps: even 10 minutes a day makes a difference. Connection matters: talk to people who get it, whether that's friends, family, or a coach.

You can't think clearly about your career if you're running on fumes.

The Real Question

If your "safe" career disappeared tomorrow, would you rebuild it—or would you finally build something that actually fits?

That's the question instability forces you to answer. And the honest answer might surprise you.

Because sometimes what feels like instability is actually clarity trying to break through.

Where do you feel the instability most right now? In your industry? Your role? Or something deeper?

If you're ready to turn this uncertainty into direction, I'm offering free 15-minute Compass Calls this month. No sales pitch—just a conversation about where you are and where you want to be.

Book here!

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