Unemployment or Subemployment: The Bitter Cost of Ignorance!
From what I see published in newspapers and magazines recently, it seems as though the crisis begins to show signs of weakening and there is a downward trend in the country's unemployment rate. Before celebrating, however, I decided to go deeper into my analysis and behold I found out a fact that deserves attention: yes, employment is on the rise for sure, but salaries are lower! This means that companies are refurbishing their headcount by contracting professionals many times even more qualified than before, but at lower salaries.
Obviously I am not saying by this that anyone should not accept a job offer simply because of the lower salary offered. Between receiving a smaller salary and remaining unemployed without a doubt the best option is the former. We also realize that the bargaining power of an unemployed professional is very small due to the oppression that comes with unemployment. You can say that a low salary is worth much more than no salary at all!
It has been proven, however, that there are determining factors in compensation and one of these factors is precisely the professional's academic qualification. We have statistically demonstrated that as someone's level of instruction increases, or the more they keep up-to-date, the higher will be the salaries offered or practiced. That is why our recommendation to professionals we assist is that they make every effort to stay up-to-date. Still, however, one out of every five professionals opts to not stay up-to-date.
I always say that there are innumerous opportunities to stay up-to-date professionally through courses or learning something new. What is most important, however, is to understand that this process needs to begin inside each person with a proactive and positive attitude on the part of each individual. Unfortunately, it is not just a few people that simply ignore any type of effort to stay up-to-date and who don't even read a newspaper or a book. We have already published a survey where around 10% of the respondents said that they do not read any book, no magazine, or no newspaper. This is therefore the perfect time for professionals who are dedicating time toward a career transition to reevaluate their position in light of the ever more present demand from the market to consistently remain updated.
I understand perfectly that there is a cost related to this solution and that this cost is not small. But it all comes back down to priority, to a vision of the future, and of a cost-benefit assessment since there are good courses at lower costs and there are also expensive courses that are not worth their investment. I recommend everyone getting as much help as they can along these lines in order not to be disappointed later on. At any rate, one thing is sure: it is much better to invest in education, in professional development, than not do anything at all. In this respect, it is worth remembering a famous quote from American Statesman Benjamin Franklin: "The only thing more expensive than education is ignorance."
Paraphrasing Franklin, I recommend that everyone invest in keeping themselves up-to-date professionally as a way to avoid tasting the bitter cost of ignorance, which is unemployment or subemployment with a low salary. Here I use the word cost to illustrate not so much the financial implication of ignorance (how much it costs in money), but the social and temporal implication with harmful effects trailing the professional over the years causing unemployment or subemployment with low salaries.
That is why, dear reader, I recommend that you begin right away to renew your knowledge and get up-to-date professionally. If possible, cultivate the habit of reading. Increase your competitiveness and you will see that this bitter cost can equally be transformed into a sweet aftertaste--it all depends on you. Heads up!
São Paulo, july 22, 2009.
Article written by Norberto Chadad.
Managing Director of CATHO HR CONSULTING COMPANY - São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. An Engineer who became an Administrator. Today Norberto considers himself to be a facilitator of people.