What football's coaching turnover tells you about job security

According to a recent Guardian analysis, roughly 27% of coaches who led their national sides at the World Cup have since departed those roles. Some left by choice, others were pushed. It's a striking rate of turnover, even by football's standards.

Football management is an extreme case, but it illustrates something that applies across industries: even people who reach the top of their profession can find themselves back on the market faster than expected. The question isn't whether it can happen to you — it's whether you're ready when it does.

Why this matters beyond sport

Most people update their CV only when they have to — after a redundancy, a sudden departure, or a contract ending. That reactive approach puts you at a disadvantage. You're writing under pressure, trying to recall achievements from two years ago, and probably underselling yourself because you're rushing.

The coaches who land new jobs quickly after leaving a post are usually the ones with a clear story to tell: results delivered, methods proven, reputation maintained. The same logic applies whether you manage a team of footballers or a team of analysts.

What to do now, even if you're not going anywhere

• Keep a running log of achievements. Every quarter, note two or three things you delivered, improved, or led. Specific numbers, even rough ones, are better than vague claims.
• Refresh your CV before you need it. A CV that's six months out of date is far easier to update than one that's three years stale. Block an hour every few months.
• Know your headline. If someone asked you in one sentence what you do and why you're good at it, could you answer clearly? That's the core of any CV summary or covering letter.
• Don't let your network go cold. Connections maintained over time are more useful than ones you only reach out to when you need something.
• Understand what the market wants right now. Job descriptions shift. Skills that were optional two years ago may now be listed as essential. Read current postings in your field regularly, not just when you're actively applying.

The broader point about high-profile exits

There's sometimes an assumption that senior roles come with more security. The data here suggests otherwise. Seniority can mean higher visibility and therefore more scrutiny, not less. If anything, the more prominent the position, the more clearly you need to be able to articulate your track record when the time comes.

None of this is about living in fear of losing your job. It's about treating your professional narrative as something worth maintaining — not something you scramble to reconstruct when circumstances force your hand.

When you are ready to apply, FixMyCV tailors your CV to the specific role you're targeting — drawing only on what you've actually done, not padding it with experience you don't have.

Source: The Guardian. FixMyCV summarises and comments; we never reproduce articles.