Whether you are willing to admit that you are in a dying industry or not, it is a difficult disposition that several of us have to face at one point in our lives. If there are substantial evidences that your industry is doomed, perhaps it is time to weigh your options.
1. FROM PRINT MEDIA TO DIGITAL MEDIA
As my university professor have predicted, one of the industries that was negatively impacted by modern technology was print media. I am talking about the tangible reading materials such as magazines and newspapers. A good illustration of this seemingly dying industry is the closure of the Cosmopolitan Singapore last year. According to their 2014 Nielsen Media Index report, the racy magazine’s readership stood at 22,000. These low numbers did not win the hearts of many advertisers! Hence, everything went downhill from there.
More and more readers have turned into digital media with the rapid growth of larger smartphones (with wider screens) and efficient tablets. In 2012, a global study by Ericsson estimated that approximately 1 in 3 Singaporeans owns a tablet. These flat and handy devices provide a more convenient way to download and read digital publications.
If you want to part ways with the print media, consider turning to the “IT” crowd by joining the club of people who switched to the digital scene. Jobs such as freelance writer, social media manager, and graphic designer are up for grabs!
Image Credits: pixabay.com
2. FROM TRAVEL AGENCY TO TRAVEL BLOGGING
Be honest. When was the last time you booked a trip through a travel agent? I do not remember either!
Whenever I am book for my vacation, I do everything in the comfort of my own home. I start by looking extensively for the best airfare deals available. Then, I read several TripAdvisor or blog reviews about my intended destination. This is followed by a series of searching for quality accommodations at Airbnb, Agoda, and Expedia.
Why shall I hire the services of a middleman when I can go directly to the source and save more effort, time, and money?
These thoughts echoes the mindset of many Singaporean travelers. The exit of big travel agencies such as Five Stars Tours is just another sign on where this industry is heading.
With your wealth of knowledge and experience as a travel agent, you can consider to become a travel journalist or a travel blogger. Highly qualified individuals can enjoy a good salary and a free pass to various places in the world. Are you on-board?
3. FROM DEPARTMENT STORES TO FUNERAL SHOPS
Say you were a part of the salespeople who lost their jobs due to the closure of Isetan Wisma branch or Metro Sengkang branch. Consider diving away from selling vibrant products such as perfumes and swimming towards selling “lifeless” products such as coffins. You read that right!
Ironically, the death industry is one of the hottest industries right now. More graduates are now applying for the funeral sector as the younger generations are more dismissive of superstitions. Worry not about being called an undertaker because has been re-branded to “funeral director.” Sounds more sophisticated, right?
Image Credits: pixabay.com
Note: The aforementioned dying industries are based on the predictions made by a recruitment professional, Adrian Tan of Singapore Business Review.