Spiceworks Community Digest: Got time? Use it wisely
The conversation around job security is shifting. It’s no longer just about optimizing performance but rather focusing on personal resilience in an unpredictable economic landscape. A recent post in the Spiceworks Community showed us how to handle the uncertainty like a pro.
A government software engineer, facing the possibility of a one-day-per-week furlough due to a federal government shutdown, began seeking ways to immediately generate supplemental income.
Turning potential downtime into an investment opportunity is the smartest way to manage the risk of a furlough or layoff. If your organization decides to give you an involuntary four-day work week, our Spiceworks Community has some advice on how to tackle it:
Get Your Finances in Shape
Before you even think about coding on the side, you need a financial guardrail. If you lose even a fraction of your income, cutting non-essential spending is the fastest way to extend your runway and lower your stress levels.
- spiceuser-tphz: “Streaming services, latte’s, facial/beauty products are generally non-essential items that can be paused in the interim and allow your savings to last longer.”
- ValerieC66: “You will be amazed how easy it is to cut spending when you must. In the past quarter, I have put 30% of my take home pay into savings.”
The Side Hustle
A mandatory day off or reduced hours is basically free consulting time. As a developer or IT professional, your specialized skills are perfectly suited for flexible, high-rate “gig” work.
- spiceuser-t0rw: “You could consider freelancing small web or app fixes on platforms like Upwork or Fiverr…”
- jessevas: “Maybe you could design and sell eStorefronts for people to use to sell things?”
- J-Nonya: “Something I found out somewhat recently…anyone with a college degree can be a substitute teacher (check your local districts, YMMV) and you can pick what days you work…”
Invest in Yourself
- pchelper: “Education is always a good use of time – look for free courses that can expand your skills and lead to career advancement.”
- carter-james: “Consider diving into new frameworks, cloud certifications (like Azure or AWS), or even open-source contributions.”
- Suzanne (Spiceworks): “Start working on a project that you want to do… Come back to it when you have a little more time. Little by little, build something you love…”
- TimJr: “…working on the resume suite of documents is also a way to be productive, IMHO – the into, cover letter, the thank you letter, and a tracker for what is sent to who when, and your own website to show your skills…”
How else are you preparing for potential economic shifts or downtime in the coming months? Share your strategies in the Spiceworks Community!
