3 Reasons Why There’s No Such Thing as a Stable Job

Sixty to eighty years ago, people graduated from high school and started a job. They would likely work at this job until they retired. Then, at retirement, they received a pension from their employer and enjoyed retirement until the end of their lives. My, how times have changed. As much as we might want to tell ourselves our jobs are secure, there’s no such thing as a stable job. Maybe there never was.

3 Reasons Why There’s No Such Thing as a Stable Job

Before quitting to raise a family, I worked as a college English instructor. When the 2008 recession hit, I was worried about my job, but my boss said not to. During recessions, students go to college to improve their chances of getting a job. I thought college jobs were secure, but in recent years, more and more people have decided not to go to college. So who knows how secure college jobs will be in the future?

There are three reasons why there’s no such thing as a stable job.

Changes in Factory Locations

My dad worked at a factory almost his entire adult life. Today, the type of job he worked is not available because companies have outsourced the jobs to other countries where labor is cheaper. While Biden has made an effort to bring manufacturing jobs back to the United States, our global economy means that stable factory jobs that used to employ millions of Americans are a trend of the past.

Changes in Technology

Likewise, technological advances render many jobs obsolete. Years ago, many women made their living as switchboard operators. Not only are those jobs gone, but many Americans don’t even have a traditional phone line in their homes; instead, they utilize cell phones. As technology changes, many jobs disappear.

Changes in Lifestyle

Lifestyle changes also render many jobs obsolete. In the 1700s and 1800s, chimney sweeps were in demand. Now, the profession is much smaller thanks to whole-house gas or electric heating. Farriers were needed when the entire country used horses as the primary transportation. Since the invention and dominance of automobiles, farriers are used much less.

Likewise, farming used to be done by hand and with animals like oxen. Recently, I saw that John Deere had developed a robotic tractor that doesn’t even require a farmer to control it!

Other Thoughts

While factory locations, technology, and lifestyle changes have made many careers obsolete, the opposite can also be said. Jobs like coding have not existed for the masses a few decades ago. Likewise, cyber security was not a career forty years ago.

Final Thoughts

Unfortunately, there is no such thing as a stable job. However, if you’re willing to change and pursue additional education if necessary, you will likely always have a job. However, recognize that the days of staying in the same career until retirement are gone.

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