The buzzword I heard tossed around my old shop was “convergence.” Knowing the future would probably revolve around being a jack of all trades, I began learning all aspects of video production and working as a still photographer beginning in 2002. This often made for some grueling work days, since coverage of one story involved preparing the written 25-inch piece, cutting and editing some soundbites for video/podcast use and occasionally constructing a photo gallery/essay along with it. This work — which frequently forced working weeks of 70-plu hours — earned me a promotion, annual raises and nothing but positive performance reviews.

Then, after several years of this work, I was laid off, being told my salary was a major factor. I was replaced by a trio of interns.

But before I damn the merits of learning all the skills for “convergence journalism,” I must add a postscript — that less than 48 hours after being laid off, I was called by another outlet in another major market.

Five weeks later I was hired for a similar job — albeit with much more reasonable hours — at a 20 percent raise.

Learning skills we never thought we’d need might not keep us from being dismissed if times are rough … but it might keep us from having to leave the business entirely.

If you’re a photog and asked to write … if you’re a writer who’s asked to learn how to shoot video … do it. It might save your career.