Who do you work for?

Cartoon by Hugh MacLeod

I found this cartoon on Hugh’s blog today, followed by this explanation:

I drew this car­toon this mor­ning, while thin­king about a con­ver­sa­tion I had a cou­ple of years ago:

I was on the phone to an old friend of mine, a guy in his late for­ties, who was born and bred in Michi­gan, and is living there now. He was telling me about his uncle, who, about four deca­des ago, got his highschool sweetheart preg­nant. So ins­tead of going off to college, he found him­self with a new wife, a child on the way, and an assembly-line job at Gene­ral Motors. But even though this situa­tion clip­ped his wings con­si­de­rably, he still ended up having a nice life in the end, with a home, a big yard, two cars, a steady paycheck, wee­kends fishing or hun­ting deer, and vaca­tions in Hawaii every year or so. “The days where a blue collar guy like my uncle could have a nice life without doing much,” my friend said, “those days are gone. Gone forever.”

And in the back of my mind, I’m thin­king the same is star­ting to hap­pen to white collar guys more and more, as well. But it’s not quite out in the open yet. Society’s not quite ready to have that conversation.

This reminds me of the conversation we had on Dream Job Radio last Wednesday. We talked about how the face of employment – the definition of “work” – has forever changed in America.

People have finally learned as a result of this current recession and the record high unemployment rate just how dangerous it is to rely on a single source of income; i.e., a salary.

When you put yourself in an all-or-nothing situation, you are taking a tremendous risk.

It’s a gamble.

A crapshoot.

There is no longer any such thing as job security.

Don’t kid yourself.

Today, more than ever, a W-2 employee is just as dispensable as a contract or “temporary” employee. I was in a situation more than a year ago working for a company on a contract basis  where some extensive cuts were made, and I “survived” while another team member who was a W-2 employee and had been there two years longer than I had, did not.

So, even if you are employed on a “permanent” basis, now is the time to be thinking about what you can do outside of that job to bring in extra revenue.

Even if it’s not a lot now, if you start it now, you’ve got something you can build on in the event that you do find yourself unemployed.

What might that be?

I have a few ideas…

• Write a book
• Write a column for Examiner
• Start a blog and become an affiliate marketer (this essentially means putting ads on your blog)
• Sign up with a speaker’s bureau to do paid speaking engagements
• Take on freelance work
• Pet sit
• Babysit
• Mow lawns
• Be a mystery shopper
• Make crafts as a hobby and sell them at craft shows, fairs, fall festivals, on a website, etc.
• Become a representative for Southern Living at Home or Pampered Chef and get your friends and family to host parties
• Sign up to sell Arbonne or Mary Kay or Avon

For more ideas check out 52 ways to make extra money.

I know what you’re thinking.

“I don’t have time for another job.”

“Are you on crack? I have kids and a spouse and a house to take care of…I don’t have time to do anything else.”

“I don’t have any talents. There is nothing I can do to earn extra money.”

My response?

1. The opportunities are endless! Use your imagination. Get creative.
2. Not everything has to take a lot of time, and there are so many thing you can do that you can work into your busy schedule. Go back and look at the list I provided as well as 52 ways to make extra money again.

Some of these things require very little time or effort…the important thing is to shift your mindset about where your money comes from and how you view your career.

Work as we know it is becoming more and more project-based – and less “permanent” every day.

Who do you work for?

I work for Stephanie Lloyd, Inc.

No matter where my revenue is coming from…a client, an employer…I work for myself.

And I am always, always thinking about how I can increase my current streams of revenue – and add new ones. That way, as one drops off, I can replace it, and I’m not in an all-or-nothing situation.

So.

Who do you work for?