About two decades ago or earlier, a typical employee’s career would span practically his whole lifetime. During that time, one’s nobility included one’s loyalty to the company that he worked for. Not too few interviewers would raise eyebrows and question any prospective employee’s job changes or any movements that seemed too radical or too many.
During the nineties when downsizing, mergers and acquisitions all came into vogue – corporate culture was forever altered. Like a bitter pill that merely hoped to cure a deep ailment, many employees were forced to swallow the truth in its most potent form. No longer can they assume that a corporation will take care of their families and wellbeing for a whole lifetime. Many corporations are not surprisingly focused on the bottom line. If the numbers don’t look right, alternative solutions will be considered and that would include retrenchment if necessary.
Nowadays, employees no longer expect lifelong security of tenure in their jobs. Instead, they have taken the future into their hands and have aimed to carve a personal niche in a world that is less defined by physical borders but rather, moves in a quasi-mental reality that has been made possible by the Internet.
Faith Popcorn, a well-known professional trend spotter, mentioned this future (if not already present) reality towards “cashing out to the cocoon.” She suggested that people will choose professions closer to home and away from bigger corporations, in response to the need for safety, privacy and essentially that of going back to the basics. With the availability of computers and the Internet, Faith’s prediction has indeed come to life.
Following are some careers that have evolved from this trend to cocoon if not stay close to nature and family:
Organic farming
A real estate company in the Philippines has actually offered residential farm lots to those interested in growing plants and herbs in their own backyards. With proper training and experience, organic farming can be quite profitable especially when it caters to the foreign market that is willing to pay a premium for nature’s freshness.
Kitchen entrepreneurship
While moms have from the beginning of time developed business ideas from the kitchen table, more innovative services have been evolving. This includes families who have chosen to offer gourmet meals in a cozy, quaint environment right at their own backyard. Such offerings often surpass the commercial quality offered by the bigger restaurants.
Medical transcription
Some people who have worked for corporations doing medical transcription work eventually spin off into their own businesses once they have managed to build their own network of clients. Such transition allows the person to work from home and have more flexibility.
Online business
Outsourcing has been a growing trend. It has never been easier to sell a product or offer a service online. Certain individuals have capitalized on the tool by doing translation work, teaching English to foreigners or selling a unique product. You name it and you are bound to find it online, without having to leave the cozy embrace of your couch.
Graphic design
This is a career choice that has evolved as a result of discovering the computer world. There is a huge demand for anyone with enough creativity to attract all these individuals who have decided to hibernate and cocoon within the protective walls of the home.