The Economy and my career…where is it headed?

Bad economic times can make us feel nervous. Those in employment dread a pink slip on their desk when they return from lunch, or wonder about the content of the hastily called staff meeting where “all must attend”. Those who are self employed or on contract are wondering if their sources of income will lessen or dry up as a result of budget slashing.

It is at times like this that we are tested. We can join the big queue of worriers and complainers, or we can have it be a wake up call and opportunity to build some career resilience.  We don’t know for sure where this is all headed, but realise that things will recover eventually.  The only thing we do have control over is ourselves, our thinking and our “bounce”.  That is, our resilience or ability to see through hard times and come out better and stronger at the end of it all.

Career resilience involves harnessing your skills, acknowledging your talents, furthering your knowledge and having belief in yourself.  Think about the last time you developed your knowledge and skills by attending a workshop, course or seminar, read a book on a field of interest, or pursued more formal study.  Learning is for life – life teaches us in the school of hard knocks, but we need to also seek out new developments, have our thinking challenged and expanded and follow our passions.

I’ve recently returned from a travelling sabbatical with my family for six months and recently made plans to rejoin some associations, attend some conferences and take some workshops. I picked up some great career books too in Kuala Lumpur that I am currently reading (er…and a few pairs of shoes!)

So, in what ways can you work on your career resilience?  Here’s some ideas:

• Be ready financially (have your ducks in a row, in case you are laid off. Trim the budget, look at alternate sources of income.  If you are in trouble, seek help early rather than later. 
• Be around positive people who support your development and their own. Don’t join “pity parties”.
• Learn.  It doesn’t have to be formal qualification seeking, it can be a community course, on on-line “webinar”.
• Look after yourself – even more so in stressful circumstances, look after your body by exercising and eating healthily and your mind and spirit by taking time out, whether that be in nature or meditating in the boardroom (with the ‘do not disturd’ sign on the door!)

Ultimately your ability to bounce back and keep bouncing during hard times is determined by your attitude.  It may even be an opportunity to explore your passions more fully.