Nevertheless and even during a recession, many people continue to believe that the longer they stay at the company the greater they increase their job security. In these and other instances, to strengthen one’s ability to be hired by another firm should the need arise, focus on landing a different job every four to five years within the company one is being loyal to.
Leverage Human Resources Career Professionals
Stay connected to Human Resources and Leadership Development managers during a recession and throughout your career. Just as if one was actively engaged in an external job search, set aside time each quarter or, at a minimum, once a year, to review available job openings external to the firm as well as those posted internally at the company’s recruiting website.
Doing this helps one to take several career enhancing steps. Regularly seeking new employment sharpens one’s awareness of available jobs that one’s current skill set and employment experience are aligned to. Additionally, looking through available external job postings across industries keeps one apprised of recruiting and hiring trends. This can be beneficial during economic or industry shifts as it can diminish or eliminate the psychological and emotional shock that accompanies a significant job change.
Reassess Goals and Recession Proof a Career
To assist with reassessing one’s goals, read through job descriptions at peer, senior and junior levels. Notice if responsibilities once assigned to line managers are rolling to more junior positions.
Pay attention to instances that show that senior managers are being asked to take on additional roles for less income. Note occasions when a job title changes because a position is being assigned more accountability while the level of the job remains the same as it was with the former title.
Honestly reassess goals around the industry one wants to work in, income objectives, travel and time demands one is willing to endure. Update one’s resume as new career decisions are made. Avoid waiting until a recession kicks in or a company merger arises and one is handed a severance package to create and modify a resume. Remember that the responsibility for each person’s career rest squarely on the shoulders of each particular individual. This applies during all types of economic conditions, including a recession. Managers are not responsible for anyone’s career except their own.
Continue to Learn Through Job Interviews
Meet with hiring managers and interview for external jobs one to two times a year. Observe the types of questions recruiters and hiring managers ask applicants. Pay attention to the responses that catch the ear of managers most.
Assess the culture of the company one interviews with as well as the changing culture at the company where one continues to work. Keep in mind that companies have distinct cultures. It is one of the challenges created with a merger, an event that was in vogue at the corporate levels just a few years ago. It is also one of the key reasons a long term stay at the same company, entrenched in the same culture, can be a hindrance to assimilating into a new firm.
Stay Strong Even During a Recession By Learning
Even if managers do not request it, continue to take internal and external training courses. Check with Human Resources contacts. Ask about company tuition assistance programs. Enroll in courses offered by local postsecondary institutions.
Apply for memberships with local and national industry associations. Make it a priority to attend two to three industry events each year. Initiate introductions with peers, executive leaders and event hosts. Avoid discrediting any attendee based on their assumed position or job level. Remember that junior level employees are often gatekeepers to more senior personnel and may have more knowledge about a firm or industry trend than others.
Recession proof a career by regularly reviewing internal and external job postings. Look across industries to spot trends and shifts. Sign up for and take online and classroom courses that focus on the industry one is employed in. Attend conferences and seminars regularly. Build and strengthen networks. Should one be asked to leave a company, these regular habits will pay huge dividends.
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