Using a recession to help your career

As the economy slips into an apparent recession (though officials don’t seem to want to label it a such just yet) and jobs are lost consistently each month, it may seem to some that this pending cloud has no silver lining.

Many would be job seekers have postponed their searches until hiring returns to prerecession levels, but as they wait, they can actually use this economic downturn to their advantage. An economic downturn, while difficult for the unemployed jobseeker, can be very advantageous to the job seeker who has chosen to postpone his search until the market gets stronger.

A recession can help this type of job seeker not only because he can get more experience in a particular industry and position under his belt as he waits for an uptick in the economy, but also because a recession allows you as an employed prospective job seeker to do following:

• Develop and expand your skill set. Don’t just let time pass by as you wait for the economy to pick up. Make sure you keep up to date with happenings in your industry by staying current with new technologies that impact your field and by attending industry conferences. Employees who possess the highest level of versatile technical skills and interpersonal abilities have longer career longevity than others because they can fill multiple roles, collaborate with others, and take on additional responsibilities when needed.
  By keeping your skill set current, refining your written and oral communication skills, pursuing professional development opportunities, and keeping current with technologies relevant to your industry, you can make yourself indispensable to your current employer and highly marketable to prospective employers.

• Network. The absolute best time to build and maintain your network of contacts is while you are currently working—not once you have lost your job. It can be very difficult to get a foot in the door for the job you want, so you want to develop your network while employed and put those contacts in place that can put in a good word for you or provide access to the right decision makers during your job search. It is a well known fact that more than 70 percent of positions are filled by word of mouth and are never advertised.
  While still employed, dedicate some of your time to developing relationships with individuals who can guide and assist you during your upcoming job search. During an economic downturn, your networking activities might reveal positions for which you are qualified that are not yet available simply because the company is waiting for the economy to turn around as well.
  Attend industry events, employee affinity group meetings, and meetings of local professional organizations. Develop a network of quality contacts and do your best to help them as opportunities allow because by doing so they will be more willing to reach out to help you in your job search.

• Add value in your current position. As companies’ cutback during a recession, you will have the opportunity to take on additional responsibilities that may be beyond the scope of your job description. Take full advantage of these opportunities and consistently display a willingness to go the extra mile to help solve problems. By demonstrating through your good works that you are a professional who displays a can-do attitude and who helps others even when the problem is not within your area, you will become indispensable to your company, and when you do find a new job, your employer will shower you with praise when asked by a prospective employer for references.