ajcjobs > BlogBreak > Archives > 2008 > March > 03
Monday, March 3, 2008
Can you recession-proof your career?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It was bound to come again. The slump in the economy, recession (or slowdown?) is here again. People are nervous about their work status. Will my job be there tomorrow?
With mergers and acquisitions, global change and a myriad of other factors, job security is an illusion. Sure, some jobs are more stable. But even formerly solid sectors of the economy, like the government, have been downsizing for years.
That said, are there any steps you can take to make your job more resilient? Can you decrease the likelihood of being the first to get “pink slipped”. Here are a few thoughts:
- Add value - Learn what problems your area or organization is faced with and seek ways to help. So your competitors are using video blogs to communicate with their customers? Can you learn how to do this and train others? You are also obtaining new skills that you can use later if you want or need to contract instead of working in an organization.
- Network before you must - get on sites like Linked In www.linkedin.com and re-energize your network so that you can tap into them throughout your career. Connect with professional associations to keep your external contacts and industry knowledge alive.
- Avoid gossip and negative people - Perception is everything so remain focused and don’t get caught up in the downward spiral that is common during organizational change.
- Keep your performance at a high level - You will be remembered for “staying the course” when job cuts are made.
- Revise your resume so it is ready to go. An additional benefit? Highlighting your recent accomplishments strengthens your confidence.
