3. Career Security Profile: Rate Your Readiness
This 30-item self-assessment has been field-tested and fine-tuned with thousands of people in all walks of life and
- Shows you how well-prepared you are to bounce back after a lay-off.
- Helps you personalize and prioritize your planning, so you shore-up your most vulnerable areas first.
- Gives you a before and after picture of your career security preparedness. You take this assessment before you begin Futurizing your career and again after you've implemented the 5 essential, interlocking strategies.
- Indicates the amount of time you will need to spend (6 months to 2 years) to become fully Futurized.
- 30 Questions - see below!
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Career Security Profile: Rate Your Readiness
To assess your strengths and weaknesses as you begin to use this Futurize Your Career ToolKit, take this quiz. Six months from now, take it again to check your progress toward building a more secure career. Taking the Quiz: Read each statement. Note your answer to each question: Yes/Y or No/N.
1. I know exactly how much my essential bills total and have enough money (easily accessible) to take care of them for eight months.
2. I usually introduce myself by telling my skills and accomplishments rather than by giving my title and company affiliation.
3. I know from observation and experience about how much severance pay I could count on if I were laid off.
4. I know at least four criteria for assessing the risk of my job situation.
5. I/We participate in a savings plan or 401(k).
6. I/We regularly make other investments (stocks, mutual funds, IRAs, retirement, annuities).
7. I/We have eliminated credit card debt.
8. I have initiated my attendance at two in-house training programs in the last year.
9. I have initiated my attendance at two outside training courses within the past year.
10. I have or am working on an advanced degree or professional job credential.
11. I'm highly visible in two professional organizations and attend more than half their meetings.
12. I'm a member of at least two other organizations --civic, religious, alumni, etc. -- and am active in them in a visible way.
13. I/We have some kind of additional income besides my salary (rental property, stock dividends, teaching, consulting, etc.).
14. I have a previous career I could go back to if I had to.
15. I have a significant interest or activity (volunteer, hobby, etc.) which could be developed into a career.
16. In the last two years, I've learned a new skill that I don't use in my current job.
17. I have taken advantage, during the past year, of some kind of non-traditional education (audio course, non-credit, open university course, private coaching, etc.).
18. I maintain relationships with people at work outside my department who regularly give me valuable information.
19. I maintain relationships with at least 50 people outside of work who know my capabilities well.
20. I've been in my current job for less than 5 years.
21. I can identify at least one other job in my organization, but outside my present department, for which I could qualify.
22. I've been in business for myself or have worked in a family business.
23. I have changed career fields at least once.
24. I've lost a job due to circumstances beyond my control at least once and found another job at the same or better salary.
25. I keep track of the economic and technological trends affecting the organization, industry, and profession in which I work.
26. I have objective reasons to believe that my performance on the job is above average.
27. I have a spouse who works, and we have both benefit plans in force.
28. I know what to do and say to enlist people in helping me with my career.
29. I've told friends or acquaintances about at least three job openings in the past year.
30. I've applied for another job within the past two years.
For scoring instructions and interpretation, see the Career Security Profile in the ToolKit.
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