I used to think layoffs were a tech industry issue, while government jobs felt like a safer bet for long-term stability.
However, in 2025, we’re seeing a new reality in the USA. Budget cuts and downsizing have become widespread, leaving many public servants uncertain about their futures.
The Trump administration’s mass layoffs have already impacted tens of thousands of federal employees, including 800 at NOAA: National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration, the agency behind weather forecasting, climate research & ocean conservation.
The truth is, no job is guaranteed, no matter the industry.
So how do you future-proof your career? While uncertainty is daunting, being proactive can help prepare for the unexpected.
Here are 6 strategies to stay afloat:
💰 1. Build an Emergency Fund
Job security isn’t just about earning a paycheck today, but rather about preparing for when it stops.
A 3-6 month safety net is ideal, but even starting with a month can provide time to pivot without immediate financial stress.
📚 2. Plan Beyond Your Current Role
Your job title doesn’t define your future. Industries evolve and today’s skills may be outdated tomorrow. Keep learning to stay ahead.
How I do it: I learn about new approaches to marketing and productivity. These support my role at Mongabay, help my teammates, and ensure I stay adaptable as I grow within the organization.
🤝 3. Strengthen Your Professional Network
In uncertain job markets, relationships matter. A strong, genuine network opens doors you may not have considered.
How I do it: I remain connected with incredible journalists, scientists, and environmental leaders to exchange insights and opportunities.
💳 4. Live Within Your Means
The more you earn, the easier it is to spend. But financial flexibility gives you control when stability isn’t guaranteed. Intentional spending ensures a job loss doesn’t leave you scrambling.
How I do it: Periodic budgeting helps keep an eye on subscriptions, recurring expenses, and impulse purchases that can add up over time.
🌱 5. Diversify Your Income Streams
Relying on a single income source can be risky. Freelancing, consulting, or investing (even in small ways) can provide stability during uncertainty.
How I do it: I’ve freelanced, but my most consistent stream is APC Wildlife Photography, where I help wildlife photographers navigate the art and gear behind their craft.
🚀 6. Take Ownership of Your Career Growth
While we can’t control every aspect of our careers, we can control how we prepare and position ourselves for an unpredictable job market.
Treat your career like an investment. The more ownership you take over your development, the more resilient you become in the face of change.
How I do it: I set career goals and revisit them with my mentor. By learning new skills and taking on novel opportunities, I make sure I’m growing in ways that align with my future aspirations.
With a modest 151,000 jobs added in February, the labor market remains largely in balance. The average workweek remains stable, and wages continue to grow. The recent report for economic productivity reflected rising strength, indicating that labor is no longer pushing price levels up. The modestly weaker employment reports and weakening labor-cost pressures touch both sides of the Federal Reserve's dual mandate, so the Fed is likely to continue its rate-cutting cycle.
The Fed faces a weaker labor market—the employment-to-population ratio has fallen modestly—but recently unemployed people are finding new jobs more easily as the average number of weeks unemployed fell again.
One job? For about 8.9 million people in the U.S., that’s no longer enough. According to February’s jobs data, more people than ever have multiple jobs, dating back to when tracking began in 1994. The findings could signal that employment opportunities are easier to come by — but the more likely reason for people holding multiple jobs is the persistence of inflation, experts tell Sherwood. The 8.9 million people represent 5.4% of the workforce, a share not seen since April 2009.
It’s hard enough maintaining a work-life balance with one job, but for more and more people, holding just one job isn’t an option.
Hyunsoo R. noticed a chilling and unwelcome stat in Friday’s job report: the number of people holding down two or more jobs is at the highest level since 2009. She noted that the surge is due to a few things, including inflation driving the cost of everything up, the rise of the gig economy, and a growing number of recent college grads who are struggling to find a full-time job that pays the bills. Recent grads now make up around half of the multi-job workforce.
5.4% may not seem like a huge percentage of the US workforce at first but it means that more than 1 in 20 people you see working a day job has *at least* one more job to do before they can rest.
A generation or two ago, a second job (i.e. moonlighting, side job) was used to save for something of value to the person (vacation, a vehicle, tuition, engagement). Now a second income is used to make ends meet. Many people were simply born at the wrong time and therefore lost out on the cost of living lottery.
💼 Do you have more than one job? You're not alone.
The number of people working multiple jobs is at an all-time high, and honestly, I’m not surprised. I have two myself and as a single person living in Southern California, it’s almost not even a choice. The cost of living demands it.
I can’t even imagine juggling this with kids and a family, but I know so many people do. It’s tough, but we do what we have to do.
The number of Americans working a primary full-time and secondary part-time job jumped by ~400K in February to a record 5.37M—the highest as a % of employment in 26 years. Total multiple jobholders also hit a record 8.86M.
The latest BLS data shows that the US economy added 151,000 jobs in February, which fell short of consensus expectations but exceeded January’s total.
Government employment declined by 10,000 according to the report, which was fielded in the second week of February. However, the full impact of federal job cuts is expected to emerge in the coming months. Another report from Challenger, Gray & Christmas showed that US employers announced 172,017 layoffs in February – the most since June 2020 – including more than 62,000 federal jobs.
We still need to learn more about the types of roles and skill sets that have left the federal workforce, but I think this could result in an influx of in-demand skill sets that will benefit employers in the private sector, especially in what continues to be a challenging hiring market. We’ll learn more about the hires rate in next week’s JOLTS report, but RGP’s Q1 Transformation Barometer found that 42% of the financial decision-makers we surveyed said it’s been more difficult to acquire new skill sets over the past year.
"Employee confidence has fallen to its lowest in a decade." Sad. But not without merit. If you're not optimistic about your future, what can do you?
🔎 Find opportunities where you are. Stretch projects, mentorship relationships, or informal leadership opportunities build your network AND increase your value to the organization. Ticking off the same boxes day after day puts you at risk. Get more irons in the fire where you *already* have a job by involving yourself with high value work and building key relationships.
📚 Upskill yourself. We are in a skills economy. Channel anxiety into action by expanding your skillset. Nervous about AI? Learn it. The pit in your stomach about the economy? Study how to be prepared. Give your anxiousness something to do, beyond spiraling.
🙈 Don't be consumed by the headlines. Yes- in general - job searches are taking longer, hiring may slow, and executives are less optimistic. But you don't need a zillion opportunities. You need 1. Succumbing to the idea that it is 'impossible to get ahead now' only ensures that you won't get ahead.
I'm facing my own thoughts of doom and gloom, especially as it relates to content, but alas, I cannot allow myself to further wallow 😅
There's always someone who comes out on top, and it's never the person who complained the whole time.
The data from Glassdoor revealing a decline in employee confidence underscores a significant trend in today's workforce. As job security becomes a growing concern, businesses and leaders must prioritize transparency and support to mitigate these worries. Sharing such insights helps in understanding the broader economic landscape and preparing for potential challenges.
If you're a federal employee or contractor who has lost their job, are worried about losing it, or know someone who could use assistance, we've updated our list of resources for federal workers:
✅ Filing for Unemployment
✅ Transition Assistance
✅ Career Guidance
✅ Free Career Coaching
✅ Free Webinars
✅ LinkedIn Resources
✅ Resume and Cover Letter Writing Advice
✅ Tools to Transform Federal Resumes to Private Sector Resumes
✅ State Governments Recruiting Federal Workers
✅Job Search Resources & Listings
✅ Interview Prep Tools