CMS Career Blog

The results are in!

This week we conducted a non-scientific poll via Twitter regarding how job seekers are changing their vacation plans.  Those who took the poll were overwhelmingly unemployed (75%).  More than 80% of respondents said that the economy has changed their vacation plans.  Examples they give run the gamut, including:

• Camping instead of renting hotel rooms
• Visiting family instead of going someplace requiring hotel
• No plans versus dive vacations in past
• Usually take a cruise or international travel
• This year I have taken one vacation - last year I took 4 (4 includes weekends away)
• Not taking any vacation at all which is a big change

Many people are vacationing around the house (taking a “stay-cation”) or trying to find a few days to get away.

The results were about even between those who think taking a vacation while unemployed is a good thing, vs. those who think it will take away from their job search.  Some of the reasons they gave for their answer include:

• I get a lot of support from the family and time to relax.
• Leaving the area will use extra gas and have to use money. On vacation we end up spending more on food. We don’t have any extra dollars.
• Get some perspective, talk to new people and get ideas, recharge so can approach search with new motivation    Take advantage of the slow summer to network and meet new people who can help in finding me a job.
• Give me some time to separate from the email checking, Twitter, etc., and re-focus on a strategy that aligns me with an organization admire or role that interests me.
• I spend several hours a day searching. I will not do so when on vacation. Therefore, it will be a pause where I won’t be applying for jobs.
• Time away means missing opportunities.

Thank you for taking the poll.  We will be writing another blog post on what we think is the best approach!  Stay tuned. . .

The blog post from yesterday on the Tom Peters’ website got me thinking — are we REALLY partially responsible for this recession?  Can we REALLY effect its outcome?

Then there is this post about a man who turned his job loss into a new life. Very inspiring, and I must admit a bit scarry for most of us!

The two posts raise a deeper question about the recession and massive loss of jobs that we are experiencing as a nation and throughout the world.  Every economic shift creates change in the way we live and work, but I believe this one is going to fundamentally shift the work-life balance in America.  What we are seeing is no less than a shift of the tektonic plates deep within the core of the fabric of our work lives.  I don’t know what will come of this shift — no one does.  It will, however, behoove us all to think about what permanent changes may take place because of what we are currently experiencing.  Here are some of my predictions:

• The impending retirement of millions of Baby Boomers will become an accelerated reality.  With it comes a whole list of concerns - knowledge transfer, loss of experienced labor, succession planning (and lack thereof), and additional burden on the Social Security system.  Companies have been thinking about this for awhile, but this economy is going to make it happen NOW.  I am seeing clients in their 50s who have been laid off this go around make the decision to begin early retirement.  I was watching the interviews about Captain Sully (the pilot who safely landed the plane on the Hudson River last month) and thinking, “wow, what would have happened if someone with les experience had tried that stunt?”  Well, I hate to point it out, but many companies today are laying off their “Captain Sullys” in this economy.  Chances are that many of these people will opt for retirement. What happens then?
• Many are going to opt for lower paying jobs with fewer responsibilities.  Not everyone will leave their corporate job for a $10/hr job at Starbucks, but some will. And when they do they will find that they enjoy their life better because they have more time for things that are REALLY important to them — like family, friends, spirituality, and travel.  I’m not naive enough to think that the mountains of corporate greediness will disappear, but I AM hopeful that more people will choose to focus on life goals that are not completely driven by the desire to increase their own personal wealth.
• “Green” and “sustainability” will become mainstream.  It has to!  This is where the federal government (incidentally the ONLY sector growing in this economy!) will be dumping loads of money. How are you (and your company) preparing to take advantage of this opportunity?
• Recruiting and HR practices will change.  I’m not sure in what way, but I do believe that the current focus of many Human Resource departments of being the watchdog for company lawyers will have to change (i.e. “we can’t do that, or we’ll get sued . . . ” “We can’t allow our managers to ‘be human’ by getting ‘too close’ to their workers. . . “).  This generation puts a ton of emphasis on relationships and will not tolerate working for a company where they are a faceless, nameless commodity.  Our recruiting practices are already seeing a shift in this direction.  HR practices will soon follow.  Companies that don’t focus on the personal side of their employees will find it difficult to attract and retain good talent.  We all know that the number 1 asset of ANY company is the people who work there!
• Free-Agency will become the normative approach for job seekers. This phenomenon has been on the the horizon for awhile. I believe that this current economic crisis is going to change the way people define themselves in relation to their work.  My father held the same position for 40 years.  His father worked for the state until the day he died.  My father’s grandfather, however, did whatever he needed to in order to put food on the family table. He was a farmer, a logger, built roads, ran a store. . . he was a free agent.  With people changing careers in 3-5 year cycles, I believe that my children will live more like my great-grandfather than my dad.  They will do whatever is necessary to make a living, and won’t define themselves by their company affiliation.  To me, that’s a good thing!

The temblors of this recession are bringing about some major changes in the way we (and our children) will approach work in the coming years. As with any major change, there are both opportunities and dangers involved.  What are YOU doing to prepare to capitalize on the opportunities and mitigate the dangers of our current times?

This is frightening and disturbing news. For those of you who are currently unemployed, I’m certain this adds to the frustration and fear that you must be feeling. For those of us who still have our jobs this continuously bleak economic news gives us cause to look over our shoulder and wonder, “might I be next?”

But what if there is something POSITIVE that could come out of the economic meltdown? Is there ANY way we could take this opportunity to re-evaluate and improve the quality of our lives? COULD this be a good thing?

Please comment, and let’s get a discussion going on this topic. Perhaps there IS a silver lining. . . or perhaps I’m just a wild-eyed optimist. . .

Here’s a link to a recent Forbes.com article with predictions about jobs in 2009: http://is.gd/cWiZ.

Basically, the author says, “If you’ve got a job you like, hold on to it with all your might.”  Sound advice, IF you can follow it. But what about those who have been recent casualties of the economic crisis facing our nation/world?  If you’ve recently LOST your job, you need more advice than simply, “hold on to what you’ve got.”

Here are some resources that will be helpful in your job search:

• Career Crossroads 2.0 - a social network for job seekers.  It’s free to start an account.
• LinkedIn - A social network for professionals.  Build your network and find opportunities within it.
• O*NET - An online research database provided by the US federal government.
• Resume Bear - “Advance Your Career. Empower Your Resume.”
• “Brand You” - An article by Tom Peters in Fast Company magazine discussing the importance of self branding.

With the new economic stimulus package being proposed by President Obama in Congress, I believe that there will be a significant amount of money being poured into the alternative energy, healthcare and highway/infrastructure sectors.  If you aren’t prepared to enter either of those areas, perhaps this is a good time to get some additional training.  Some state workforce development departments have funds to re-train people through their dislocated workers programs.  It’s worth checking out with your state employment department.

Folks, the news we get is that the economy continues to slide.  DON’T let that discourage you!  People are still finding work.  Develop your network, build a personal brand, and embark on a career marketing campaign.  These things WILL make a difference in your job search.

Best wishes.

The economy has been shrinking for over a year now. We are officially in a recession. Unemployment is highest in the nation it has been in nearly 2 decades. Is there a bright spot in this economy? Well, yes. Actually, there are several bright spots in this economy! We are seeing opportunities in a several areas, but it may require you to think differently about who you are and what you do. Today I want to share some of those with you, gentle reader, with the hope that you will be able to capitalize on these opportunities to enhance your career.

1. Healthcare, Education, and Government.  The unemployment figures from December 2008 show that nearly every sector was effected.  However, as pointed out in an AP news article last Friday, the three sectors that held steady were Healthcare, Education and Government.  They most certainly will feel the crunch in the months to come, especially government with lower tax revenues, but for now, there appears to be opportunity there.
2. Construction (infrastructure) and Alternative Energy.  My hunch is that the new administration is going to do everything possible to pour large sums of government subsidies into these areas in order to jump-start the economy.  It may take some time, but that’s good news if you don’t already have experience in these areas.  NOW may be the perfect time to get some additional training so you can position yourself for the wave that is most certainly coming.
3. Contractors and Consultants.  Last week I met one-on-one with more than 40 people who have been laid off within the last 3 months.  10 of them told me that they are getting phone calls from their former employer asking if they would be willing to provide consulting services for some of the projects they were working on before they left.  One man told me that he is going to be hired as a temporary contractor to manage a project he bid on 6 months ago.  Since he knew exactly what the contract was going to pay, negotiating salary was a breeze.  It appears that some companies cut there workforce out of a sense of fear, and without considering their longer term obligations.  This is certainly NOT an option for everyone.  But perhaps a few of you may find it could work for you.
4. Temp-to-hire.  We are also noticing that companies are a bit fearful about bringing on additional staff — even when they have positions that need to be filled.  Some of them are hiring temporary staff (at ALL levels - including Managers, Directors and even VPs) to fill the positions temporarily.  Sometimes there is a promise (or at least a hint) that the temp person will have first shot at the job when the economy picks up.  The good news for job seekers is that you can test drive a position, earn a paycheck, and you don’t typically have the major stress of a full time employee.  Companies like this arrangement because they can often pull the funds from an account other than employee expense and they aren’t as locked in to long term employment commitments should things not work out.  [note - this "hired gun" strategy may actually become a more standard means of employment in the future, as both sides come to appreciate the flexibility it offers. But that's another post.]
5. Niche markets.  The jobs may have gone away, but the needs being filled by their products and services are still there.  Maybe NOW is the time for you to consider starting your own company to address those needs.  Small business is the backbone of our economy and the government may have start up funding to assist you.
6. Go back to school.  A down economy is often a good time to go to grad school or complete your degree.  A colleague says that she often suggests to clients that “hide out at grad school” during a recession.  If you have been thinking about enhancing your educational credentials, this is the time to take that opportunity seriously.
7. Small companies.  Small companies are typically more agile than large companies.  They are oftentimes more ready to jump into an opportunity when they see it than the larger employers who need time to ramp up.  If you’ve always worked for a larger company, now may be the time to think small.

There are ALWAYS opportunities, even in difficult economic times.  If you want to respond to those opportunities you might have to think differently about who you are and what you do, but that’s not a bad thing either.  Keeping your eyes open and knowing what value YOU bring to the marketplace will help you take advantage of the opportunities presenting themself in this difficult economy.