ajcjobs > BlogBreak > Archives > 2008 > January > 11
Friday, January 11, 2008
Recession-proof your career
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Well, it’s official. The latest job numbers have just come out and we’ve learned that the unemployment rate has inched up to a two-year high of 5%.
Historically, of course, this number is not the worst we’ve seen, but today’s job seeker is feeling the effects with war-time oil prices topping $100 a barrel, gasoline at an all time high, and a precarious housing market this is most unwelcome news.
Even if you’re happily employed, this is not the time to coast thorough your days assuming that you won’t ever be affected. Just like we should be saving our pennies for a rainy day, we should also be collecting career capital now, so that we have a support structure to help pull us out of a tight spot should things go south professionally.
What is career capital? Essentially, it is the connections and credibility we earn through our achievements and our relationships within our professional networks. It’s working with integrity and building trust among our peers. It’s following through on our word and sharing credit and praise freely and genuinely.
Not unlike economic capital, our career capital is our professional bank account that we build up while we’re happily employed. We hope that we never have to make a withdrawal, but it’s there in the event of a sudden lay-off.
While few jobs are totally recession-proof, we can increase our chances of absorbing the impact of an unexpected career crisis if we’ve properly prepared ourselves.
Get started today by creating and maintaining a list of your most recent career accomplishments. You’ll be glad you have this handy should you need to revise your resume in a pinch. Join a social networking group like Linked In and make it a point to share on-line recommendations with your colleagues. Save any letters of praise and commendation you may receive and make an effort to congratulate others on their hard work in writing.
Always make an effort to get to know people in your field. Plan to attend an industry event or a professional networking event at least once a month. Or, if it’s more your style, find a cause you feel strongly about and set aside time to volunteer regularly.
The sooner you get out there and start making deposits to build your career capital, the better prepared you’ll be in the long run.
