General
career cushioning
What does career cushioning mean?
Proactively taking steps such as networking and scanning job boards to prepare a 'plan B' in case one's current role changes or is eliminated. It is a hedge against layoffs and uncertainty.
"With rumors of layoffs, half the team is career cushioning by taking recruiter calls on their lunch break."
Origin
Adapted from dating slang 'cushioning'; applied to careers in HR and workplace-trend writing around 2022-2023.
Frequently asked questions
What is 'career cushioning'?
It's proactively preparing a 'plan B', through networking and job scanning, in case your current role changes or is cut.
Where does 'career cushioning' come from?
It's adapted from the dating slang 'cushioning' and applied to careers in HR writing around 2022-2023.
Why do people career cushion?
To hedge against layoffs and uncertainty, so they aren't caught flat-footed if their job disappears.
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