Career Development in a Recession

Ryan Bortel of Corporate Psychologists sends me his e-newsletter.  The last one had a great article on this topic.  I couldn't find a link on his website for the article, so I've cut & pasted it below.  Enjoy!

Layoffs. Downsizing. Rightsizing. Whatever term you use, these are uncertain times for any employee. The headlines are heavy with doom and gloom statistics and warnings about an uncertain future. So what are ambitious and talented employees to do?    The answer coming from many employees has been "Keep your head down," "Don't attract attention," "Just do good work and the results will speak for themselves." While it seems natural to just hunker down and wait out the storm, our experience has shown that proactive career management and development is more important in times of economic uncertainty than ever.   Now is the time for employees to be purposeful about managing their personal "brand." Results matter (thank goodness), but perception matters as well, particularly when decisions need to be made about who belongs in the leadership pipeline and who will help pull an organization through tough times.   In Tom Peters' article "The Brand Called You," he states that an employee's most important job is to be "head marketer for the brand called you." Rather than hiding or waiting things out, Peters' article would suggest that now is the time to become more highly visible, even "famous" within an organization for being a source of unique value.   Whether you are providing coaching to your own employees or are considering how to manage your own career, there are some simple suggestions that we have found to be valuable in building a better personal brand:  Volunteer for organization-wide projects or steering committees Join a local professional organization; take on an officer role. Host an event at your company's location Take a class focused on cutting edge technologies or solutions that you can bring back to the organization Teach a class within the organization or at a local business school Build your professional network through technology such as Linked In Seek feedback informally or through 360 degree feedback and take action based on what you hear Take risks by stepping outside of your comfort zone (e.g., lead a change initiative, speak publically, suggest an innovative solution and ask to lead the charge) Regardless of what you choose to take on in your efforts to build your personal brand, always make sure that you are a source of positive and constructive energy.  Make yourself known as someone who focuses on the possibilities and who is committed to furthering the goals of the organization rather than your own personal goals.  It is this type of person that not only survives but thrives in tough times.

Comments

[Chris]

The information given by this blog is helpful to the job seeker. And who out of job for a long time. It is a good article with important points which helps you to find a job again.

Thanks,
Chris

[Pujanfw]

During recession many employers lost there job. If we compare the number of male employers more then female in job less during that time. Many employers like to hire female job aspirants because they have more commitment in there career. I heard one portal http://naukriforwomen.com which is helping female job seekers.

[Chris]

All the six points are very useful. I will definitely use them. Thanks for giving these points.

[Amanda - Career Management]

Hi,
Thanks for writing about this topic.I have seen my friends going through same state.I know one site http://www.mynewjob.me that helps in career management, regardless of whether you are just starting out or do something different with your career.

[Neha331]

Recession has been slow down.Now all companies are frequent job opening.I got to know this information from one job portal review http://www.naukriforwomen.com/

[radha]

Welcome to Opinion poll!

Hi Friends,You can vote and express your views about this poll by clicking following URL Link:

http://www.opinionpoll.in/AF106

(If the link doesn't work while clicking, please copy the above URL and paste it in your web browser address bar.)

Who contributes more for employee career development?

A) Team Leader

B) HR Manager

C) Counsellor

D) Peer Group Members

E) Pharmacist

For More Polls Visit : www.opinionpoll.in

[Ritika3285]

Now-a-days in every case women are a step ahead than men.Today I got one site http://naukriforwomen.com which is only for female candidates as only female candidates can register and they can apply for jobs.I think it is a good step towards female job seekers.

[Puja Agarwal]

During recession many employers lost there job. If we compare the number of male employers more then female in job less during that time. Many employers like to hire female job aspirants because they have more commitment in there career. I heard one portal http://naukriforwomen.com which is helping female job seekers.

[Gert Van Meerbergen]

I was pleased to read this article. The statements mentioned in this blog seem simple but are not always adopted.

One of the purposes of our HR software solution is to stimulate the self entrepreneurship of the employee within the organisation.

[Submit Discount Codes]

taking risk has by far the most good thing I did and I totally agree with you with all that you have mentioned here.kudos to you!

[Eleman]

The system usually wants devotion from u. To take risks, to postpone your needs..

[en yeni oyunlar]

For my clients and friends I am offering a 30 day free trial by using the following promotion code. Just go to www.InteractiveLifeCoach.com and take the tour.

[en yeni oyunlar]

Often job loss can seem like the end of the world. But, it's also a time to reevaluate one's job skills and reassess career direction.

[Goals and Objectives counseling]

when a person has a clear thought about his/her career goals and objectives that he or she gets ultimate satisfaction from his/her job and therefore progress faster.

[Classy-career-girl.blogspot.com]

Thanks for this post! I really like the aspect of becoming the head marketer for the brand called you.

~Anna

[Tasneem R]

Yes employees should work for the development of the company too because a selfish employee who only thinks about his salary will get screwed sooner or later ... I think one must work for for the progress of the company because that way he is paving his own road to success.
Here's a site called http://www.3smartcubes.com/ It has got Phd certified tests on career . One such test is here -
Discover Your Career Skills - How well do you know yourself
and your abilities? http://www.3smartcubes.com/pages/tests/career_skills/career_skills_instructions.asp

[hris software]

Ditto! Why wait for opportunities to arrive when you can make your own? In these tough times, everybody's looking to get a piece of the pie.

[Anna]

Thanks for taking the time to discuss this, Besides such basic considerations, job security should be grounded in a comprehensive and life-long path of career development.

how to find a job

[webprit]

Hi....

I think it is very important to spend positive energy building your brand.

Thanks

[Job Finder]

I also belive that improving your skills and adding more to what your employer needs is a great way to not only keep a current job but to move up to a better position when one comes available.

[Term Papers]

Very Good Post. All 6 points are good. Take risks is very important factor to build a career.

[Oliver]

Here is a great recession proof career!!!!

http://paulmitchell.edu/in-the-news/enrollment-at-cosmetology-schools-increases-in-chicago

[Generic Viagra]

I read an article of Ryan Bortel in the past, and it was very interesting. It worked pretty well for me to decide about what job I should pick. This guy is great.

[excel development]

Is a career in e-learning development and implementation a "recession-proof" job?

[Armand - CareerCooler]

Great article. When searching for employment, nothing is more important than networking with people, companies, and even past employers. Learning and volunteering certainly pays off and the skills gained increases your chances to landing your dream job.