It can’t be denied that the news can be a pretty depressing thing with the endless stream of negativity, violence, scandal, and gossip that is played out in the press daily. You may wonder why the media seems to concentrate on bad news over good news, and the fact is that our minds respond to negative information much better than to positive. It is all about survival as we would once have needed to respond to threats to our safety as we foraged or hunted for food. This creates an in-built predisposition to noticing when things are going wrong. However, can we use this trait in the modern world to make ourselves wealthier? It seems that we can.
Of course, not all news is likely to help us make the right decisions when it comes to our careers, but there are some news stories that can certainly help. Most obviously are the financial pages of the newspapers. Whether you actually go out and buy a printed newspaper or check online, staying up with what is going on in business can help. At the simplest level, you might want to reconsider applying for a job at a certain company if you hear that it is having serious problems and may go out of business soon. The key may lie in reading the signals in the media, as it is doubtful that any company will consciously declare if they are in trouble.
Of course, by contrast, if you notice that a company is in the news a lot as it continues to show growth, then you may consider it to be a great place to work. After all, if the company is expanding, there is every chance that they may need more staff, be offering promotions, and also maybe even letting their employees share the wealth through bonuses and incentive schemes.
Of course, most businesses experience changes in their fortunes as they have to continually adapt to the needs of the marketplace, changes in technology, working practice, or competition from elsewhere. Be careful not to read too much into some reports, and remember that larger companies tend to have a greater ability to ride out the bad times than their less financially robust counterparts.
Now, you may be thinking that the thought of reading the financial pages of the newspaper is less than appealing – especially if you are usually more concerned with catching up with the latest gossip columns – but it needn’t take long or be a chore. Just by skimming through the headlines you can quickly get a general idea of what is happening where, and the more you do this, the greater your depth of knowledge will become. Perhaps you could start by looking at the fortunes of a company that you would like to work for, or whose products you use.
While you may tend to think of global businesses such as Apple, this can also work on a smaller, more local level too. Take a look through your local newspaper or watch the regional news to get an insight into what companies are moving into your area, expanding, retracting, or otherwise making moves.
Keeping up with the business news can help you make a strong choice for your own career – and get wealthy as a result.
