How to Recession-proof
You!
Since “you” are the brand being marketed to employers, it is “you” that needs to be recession-proofed - not “your career”! Here are some tips on how to “be” recession-proof:
1. Create a skills-based resume. Your inherent skills go with you from job to job, regardless of your work experience. Make sure you can identify them! A good way to spot inherent skills is review your past accomplishments and ask, “What skills did I have to have to accomplish that off? The answers will be analyzing, writing, relationship management, etc. If you still need help identifying your skills, hire a career coach or counselor to assess your strongest baseline profile. Having a current understanding of yourself is step one to getting a job!
2. Identify the parallel industries. Suppose you had to change careers suddenly, or find new employment fast. Consider how your experience applies to other industries, and rewrite your resume to emphasize that. That will keep you targeted in a job search, and help prospective employers make the connection between their industry and your past experience.
3. Commitment brings confidence! Nothing communicates confidence to employers like knowing what you want. One computer room tape operator knew she wanted to advance to database administration and LAN support – but could not get there from where she was. Together, we created a strategy that would set her on a track toward her goal, yield an instant salary increase, and, provide free DBA training. To do this, we targeted positions that blended tape operations supervision (a step up from being a tape operator) with some database monitoring (a step into DBA territory); we also blended help desk positions that afforded opportunities for learning and training. So pick a target, and commit yourself to it! If you can’t pick your next career, your next step will do.)
4. Learn from the executives. An executive coach/trainer and I were working with top-notch executives that were in career transition and struggling to find jobs. After some coaching, we saw that the executives were unclear about what they wanted. We also saw that, once they became clear, their jobs appeared! This is not magic – it is the power of clarity and focus. Most people try shot gunning their career search. Shot gunning doesn’t work; you have to target your target market; no one can be everything to everybody.
5. Leverage market instability. Say you want to leverage layoffs or a layoff risk into a career change opportunity. Most people have some skills and accomplishments that set the stage for changing directions. Identify them, and create a resume that supports the change.
6. Find your career stepping stones. In every career, there are accomplishments that lend themselves to changing directions. For instance, a market researcher has a lot of writing experience. A coach has a lot of “teaching” experience. A stewardess has a lot of customer service skills. So find the stepping stones that could be pivotal in your career, and weigh those opportunities in the market!
7. Know who needs what you have. Given all of the above – your skills, accomplishments, and experience, your profile, your parallel industries and career stepping stones – ask yourself one question: “Who needs what I have?” This is the opposite approach of going to the paper to see what’s “out there.” First, look at your “product,” then find your “target market.” A job search is just another exercise in target marketing.
8. Have an ace up your career sleeve. In the world (as opposed to the spirit), it is a good idea to have a safety net. For me, that safety net is my top-most marketable skill – the one I know I can sell even in the worst economy. It is my top-most confidence and quality product. Do you know your top-most marketable skill? Are you selling it? Could you use that skill to change your opinion of yourself? Or, could you use it to change career directions? If you marketed that sole skill, could you increase your income? Would it help you find a job more quickly? Who needs that type of skill? And finally, does your resume support that skill as a career focus? Every individual has the God-given ability to support their financial needs,
9. Control stress by controlling finances. Most corporations increase revenue and decrease expenses when the market or economy shifts. Do you run your household “corporation” like that? What is the lowest salary that will pay your bills? Are your expenditures for what is critical or what is nice? Are you living within your means? If not, make the adjustments now to support that lifestyle.
10. Follow the spiritual leaders. Well known spiritual leaders such as Pema Chodron say that when things fall apart, let them. This means we are “ready” for change at a deeper level, and that opportunity is knocking.
For coaching assistance with any of these strategies, please contact me personally.
Helen Oliff
Career & Leadership Coach
TURNING POINT
Writing and
coaching at work!
E-mail: helen@turningpointnow.com
Voice: 703-716-0077
E-fax: 703-995-0706