The way in which we work has changed dramatically over the last 50 years or so, with some authorities going as far as to say that the job is dead, while others are predicting that anyone over the age of 40 and out of work will never work again.

Are these gloomy predictions true? The situation is not quite as grim as many would suggest, but nonetheless points to a growing trend in job insecurity. How can older workers and indeed, those just starting out, hope to deal with the changing job market?

With so many people facing redundancy, the prevalence of short-term contracts and the trend in businesses to outsource not only peripheral tasks, but also core activities, the job market has become a scary place. However, as long as we are aware of the situation and prepare accordingly, we can overcome the majority of difficult circumstances thrown up by the current economy. Career planning at regular intervals throughout our working lives has become a necessity.

What can you do to plan effectively? Instead of simply deciding on a specific career, you should look at the wider range of possibilities open to you with your existing set of skills. Many of your current skills and previous experience could prove useful in other areas of work.

As we live in a knowledge-led society, keeping up-to-date within your current field is essential and it is also important to learn new skills and acquire new knowledge, especially in topics which will increase the range of occupations available to you. Be willing to develop a broad range of more generic skills, in areas such as IT and communication, which are in short supply in many industries at the moment.

Watching trends in the economy, changes in demographics and patterns in spending will also help keep you in touch with areas of potential growth in employment. An example of this is the increase in older people in all of the developed countries, which is having a huge impact on the health care system and also increasing opportunities for entrepreneurs and existing business owners to provide products and services of all kinds which are tailored to meet the needs of the over 60s.

Despite the lack of job security, there are many options which werent around 50 years ago, or were rarely heard of, such as job-sharing, career temping or combining self-employment with part-time work.

Adapting to the demands of the 21st century workplace requires a high level of flexibility and the willingness to keep on learning, but if you are prepared to plan for various possible outcomes, you are more likely to have a successful and interesting career.

Waller Jamison 2006