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It has been a few weeks since our last posting. Aside from time and craziness from working on our electronic publishing venture Knowledge Genie, we have been a bit stymied with writer's block. Things are pretty awful out there and the news continues to be pretty bad. One of the challenges of writing on the topic of work is trying to find a positive slant and proactive angle in the face of difficulties that millions are experiencing.
What are the problems? First, there is the employment climate. According to the September report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, construction, manufacturing, government, and retail jobs are down, down, down. Small glimmer: Health Care ¬is Up. Yes, things are tough.
Then there are the workplace problems:
• We know that the contract between worker and employer has changed.
• We know that the basics standards and decencies that a company should provide their employees has in many cases dissolved.
• We know that employment is at will - only now that's if employment can be found.
• If you are lucky to have a job you feel you simply have to grin and bear what you don¹t like.
So then the crossroads present themselves...what to do? Option1: Wallow, float, wait, or surrender.
Option 2: Do something.
And more specifically, now is the time to plan. Think about any movie you've watched in which the characters faced a difficult
situation. You probably reacted with frustration to the predictable victims of circumstances. You also more than likely had an affiliation with those characters who stepped up and faced the challenges head on. Sadly, for many of us the movie is real...some of us will sit there waiting to be eaten by the monster. Others will become the heroes and step up to the challenge. What character type are you?
Here are 5 things you can do to be the hero of the movie that is your life.
1. Think through your worst-case scenario if you lose your job. Identify the resources that you have available to make it through to your next position or income opportunity. Resources of course include money and they also include relationships, contacts, and your own skills. If you have a spouse, partner, or significant other identify what you would do if something happens to one or both of your employment situations. What alternative jobs can you get? What temporary jobs can you get? What other interests can you pursue? How can you be more productive with your time? Confronting and having a plan will help alleviate stress of the unknown and help you prepare should your worst case scenario occur.
2. Take stock of your professional plans. Are you in a position that is prone to being axed and what do you need to do move yourself into a position that is less risky? How vulnerable is your company and industry to getting hit and staying in the rut? Identify the immediate and longer-term actions you can take to be prepared.
3. Search for opportunities. Look for sectors that are holding and perhaps growing. Look for sectors that can grow in a downturn. What countries and economies are growing (hey, our ancestors came from other countries, what's wrong with the reverse?)?
4. Push yourself to consider what you could do to make money independent from your employer. It's easier to start a side business while still being employed.
5. Take action. Even just thinking through what your options are, the actions you want or should take, and the implications of the various "what if" scenarios will take anxiety out of your life.
What recommendations do you have to help others proactively plan and navigate today's treacherous waters? What have you done that has helped you take back some sense of control over your professional destiny?
