How I Mastered The Art of Falling Forward

I don’t do everything perfectly, but there are some life skills I’ve mastered in my 29 years on this planet. Skipping rocks, singing to my cat, and basic US geography come to mind as areas of specialty. But there’s another one that has surfaced in the past five years; something that’s actually come in handy: the mastery of falling forward.

If you look at my resume (or LinkedIn), it screams “job hopper”. After all, I’ve held more positions than total years I’ve been employed after college. But the untold reality is that I’ve been dealt a pretty tough hand in the jobs department. I’m not crying about it. It’s just how it is.

A medical device company downsized by 20 percent just six weeks upon my arrival, a non-profit folded entirely after five months, and a tech startup completely vanished after seven. All were great jobs for a short period, and all ended much sooner than I ever would have wanted. Entering the workforce at the height of the recession didn’t make life peachy either.

Any one of the above could have, and should have, been major setbacks. So how have my earnings, job titles, responsibilities and overall career happiness continued to trend upward in the face of unexpected job loss? Lean in close and I’ll tell you some secrets.

1) Be a skill hound

Treat every single job like it’s an opportunity to learn new things. Be sponge-like. That failed startup I worked for was a sinking ship that put me in a unique bind: they adamantly refused to take on any additional clients because we were overwhelmed by the volume of clients we already had. Problem was, those clients weren’t actually enough to pay our expensive overhead. So to pass the time I learned how to design, re-created our logo, planned events to engage and retain the clients we had, developed a branding guideline document, and worked on creating meaningful content for our blog. I knew my hands were tied on not being in a position to acquire new business, so I made use of my time in a way that benefited my skillset and future.

2) Keep a long view

Professionally speaking, I’m a marketer and a communicator. This won’t change unless I want it to. This includes when I don’t have a job; I’ll still be a marketer. As far as I see it, I’ll be a marketer and communicator for my entire career, regardless of any hiccups along the way. And it’s in keeping this big picture thought process that allows me to not sweat when I’ve had to face uncertainty. I know that things will work out and refuse to see the sky falling when I’ve been placed in a tenuous position professionally.

3) Rebuild bridges that have already been burned

I’m not above clichés, so I’m not afraid to say your legacy is how you leave it. If a job stings you and closes shop or lays you off; don’t harbor resentment. Thank them for the opportunity in the first place and keep them on file when you’re reaching for references in the future. More often than not, they’ll feel partly responsible for helping you find a new place of employment. A job earned through a contact is a job earned all the same. Your connections are important; especially previous employers.

4) Know that no one owes you a job besides yourself

I went to my high school reunion recently and I spoke with a former classmate who was working as a carpenter because he felt there weren’t any jobs where he could use his Communications degree. Can’t say I agree with him. Jobs are there if you’re willing to look and build your skills to match the qualifications. The world doesn’t owe you a nice job; you have to hustle to get them. When you make yourself valuable, the world becomes your oyster.

Religiously following these rules has enabled me to continue to develop my career even while navigating less-than-ideal waters. Working at unstable companies ultimately became a great catalyst for my success. I developed great skills, cultivated valuable relationships and became relentlessly positive about my future. I have a great job now at a great company, and it’s possible because my professional obstacles were just disguised learning lessons.

Chad Reid is the Director of Communications for JotForm, a popular online form building tool. He lives in Oakland, California with his girlfriend and three wonderful cats. Follow on Twitter at @thebig3c.