| The cheap labor costs of Southeast Asia are like | | | | generally do not outsource due to decreased cost |
| a siren call to more and more US employers | | | | effectiveness and often because they have a |
| seeking to lower support costs and improve | | | | closer relationship with their customers. While |
| profits. The increasingly common trend toward | | | | offshore outsourcing may save dollars and |
| outsourcing labor to countries such as India, | | | | improve stock prices, it often has detrimental |
| Malaysia, and Pakistan means jobs are leaking to a | | | | effects on customer relations. Small companies |
| part of the world where workers fresh out of | | | | cannot afford to lose customers because of poor |
| college or technical school will work for pennies on | | | | customer service or language barriers and are |
| the dollar compared to American workers. For the | | | | therefore less likely to outsource offshore. |
| American workers, that means the bar for | | | | Go where the jobs are. |
| entry-level positions is rising or the same positions | | | | Displaced garment and textile workers in the |
| are disappearing off the map completely. What | | | | Carolinas and other Southern states were left |
| can you do to avoid losing out to offshore | | | | jobless almost overnight in the nineties when their |
| outsourcing?? | | | | employers moved operations to Central America |
| Don't become a target. | | | | or Asia. Those who did not have transferable skills |
| What should you do if you find yourself facing | | | | or were unwilling to relocate were left floundering. |
| joblessness due to outsourcing? Many would say | | | | Workers who thrived were the ones who learned |
| make yourself indispensable, but is anyone ever | | | | new skills that were in demand or who were |
| really so valuable that they are indispensable? | | | | willing to move to areas where their current skills |
| What makes someone indispensable in a company | | | | were needed. |
| that has 1500 employees? Few things, but some | | | | Stay on the cutting edge of your field. |
| key skills can give you an edge. Skills such as | | | | Work that is outsourced is generally grunt work |
| bilingualism, abilities with key or rare equipment, | | | | that requires a labor force that is broadly skilled in |
| skills with software that is either so cutting-edge | | | | the most common tasks, works with the most |
| or so old that only a few can manipulate it well | | | | common applications, or can handle minimal |
| skills that will make you stand out in an ocean of | | | | communication coupled with heavy, |
| other employees. | | | | repetitive-type work. There is always demand for |
| Move up the ladder rapidly. | | | | skilled professionals who can work easily with the |
| Another way to deal with outsourcing is | | | | latest and greatest technology, who do not fear |
| avoidance. Jobs that are outsource-able are not | | | | risk-taking and enjoy the challenge of |
| key positions in the first place. Therefore, the key | | | | development and innovation. |
| is to rapidly move out of entry-level positions into | | | | Will offshore outsourcing suddenly cease? Not a |
| positions that are less likely to be outsourced. | | | | chance as long as the American consumer |
| Look around you. If you are in a company in an | | | | continues to demand high-end technology for |
| entry-level position that has 50 to 100 other | | | | rock-bottom prices. The race to maintain market |
| people doing the exact same tasks you are doing, | | | | share while maintaining profits, demands cheaper |
| you may very well be in a Danger Zone for | | | | and cheaper labor costs. Offshore outsourcing is a |
| having your position outsourced. Make it your | | | | solution to that problem. It behooves American |
| mission to get out of that huge fish barrel of | | | | engineering and information technology workers |
| low-skilled fish and into a position that can only | | | | not to be a part of the problem to begin with by |
| effectively be done on home turf as rapidly as | | | | pursuing education and training that sets them |
| possible. Get promoted, get higher training or | | | | above their offshore labor competitors and takes |
| education, or go for a position that is more | | | | them out of the fish barrel of low-end, low paid |
| specialized. | | | | support type positions. America has always been |
| Go smaller. | | | | the leader in innovation and development and |
| Consider changing jobs to a company that is | | | | engineers who concentrate on those areas will |
| smaller or more niche-oriented. Smaller companies | | | | always have a place in this economy. |