Economy lost another 533,000 jobs in Nov.
Worst month since December 1974 brings total this year to 1.9 ?
Well, I guess you have several options. You can give up and stop even making any efforts to do a good job and to make great things happen in your life and career (which is exactly what many people in this economy are doing). You can go hid in a corner or under the covers (appealing but a short term fix to be sure). OR- you can use this news to refocus and dedicate yourself to doing some key things that will aid in your current search and/or make sure you are never part of that lovely statistic that greeted me as I open my version of the daily paper.
This is a short "down and dirty" version of a presentation I gave this week and am breaking down and going into much more detail in this blog. I hope it gives some quick, actionable items that you can do RIGHT NOW to set yourself up for future success.
How to Recession Proof your Career
Fact: Current Job Market- tough but top 20% never have and will never need to worry.
Be a Good Stewart of your own career- start setting yourself up now for growth and success
Learn from the Millennials- take a “what’s in it for me” approach to your current situation
It’s not disloyalty – it is being loyal to yourself first.
What can you do now?
Decide what you want to be when you grow up! Is what you are doing right now what you are passionate about? If no, where can you go from here to get you the next monkey bar over to where you want to be?
Know your bulls eye- what are your core skills? Who are the tier 1 and tier 2 companies in your niche? Get to know them all!
Always, always do a great job of where you are to set yourself up for the next move (either internally or not). Remember, the best indication of future success is past performance.
Stay focused and aware- look down and ahead often.
Keep your resume updated- no less than every 6 months (see my blog for details)
Make and carry personal business cards
Build a Brag Book- customer letters, “atta-boy” emails, ranking sheets, etc….
Solicit testimonials from clients often
Have your clients join your extended network: Plaxo, Spoke, LinkedIn (grow with them as they move around)
Hot list: Network for yourself as well as business leads. Get to know your competitors, keep a hot sheet on companies that interest you. Think about where you want to be in 3-5 years and start building relationships with those people now.
Join associations that will help you build contacts and grow your career.
Identify and get to know the power players in your world. Build personal relationship with them and pick their brains as often as possible. Ask them “If you were me…”/ Ask them to be a mentor.
Specialize. Define your world and be the best in –your- world at what you do.
Write articles in industry publications. Talk at events/trade shows. Good practice and gets your name out there.
Improve your skill set. What are the relevant certifications for your niche (or the niche you want to get into?) Especially if they can be reimbursed by your current employer.
Continued education and training. Finish or get a new degree, attend industry relevant trade shows and seminars. Keep focused on growing and learning. (this could increase your net value and raise your paycheck!)
Always be focused on your career growth, treat your career like a chess match and plan 4 moves out. Gone are the days where you will be at a company for 10 years, what will your next move be? Don’t react- plan those moves now!
Network, network, network. Be that familiar face or voice or name that everyone has heard of before. It will open doors later.
Use your network. Ask them often for their tips and ask who they are watching. ASK for referrals.
Keep polishing and building your own personal brand.
Check yourself- are you where you want to be. Make a timeline and break down your goals to get you where you want/need to be. This is where challenge partners and mentors are critical.
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1 comment:
Just wanted to add a small tip on creating a recession proof career. It would be a good idea to plan out your career or business by considering government contracting. This is a very lucrative financial opportunity that can help you stabilize financially and increase your income flow if it is done the right way.
If this is something that you are interested in to put an end to your financial worries, get yourself registered with the Central Contractor Registry which is a federal clearing house for vendors and small businesses too. Also identify a product or service that you can supply to the government and which the government needs in order to get a contract.
You can win such billion dollar contracts and secure your career or business better even during this phase of recession.
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