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UpMo’s Top 10: Managing Your Career in a Recession

March 10, 2009 | Author: Jessica Howard | Filed under: Moving Up, The Networking Habit

We read lots of career news and advice, so we figured we’d filter some of the most interesting and enlightening stuff we’ve read in the past week (or so). Here’s a roundup of posts and links on managing your career in a recession:

In the post One Week. Two Job Offers. What Recession?, Jobacle writer Andrew G.R. says two unsolicited job offers landed in his lap in one week. Andrew makes a great case for moving toward our goals, rather than being paralyzed by “recessionitis”.

“I sit here in awe when I think about the dozens (hundreds) of unanswered resumes I experienced when the economy was thriving. Now, amidst dire economic turmoil, and the fact that I am pleased at my current gig, cosmic forces want to have some fun with me. I can’t help but laugh at the sheer irony.”

If you’re unemployed, you’ve got time to blog. This Wall Street Journal article talks about how blogging is helping some cope with being laid off, and perhaps even get work. Rachel Steinberg, for example, received an offer for contract work from a reader of her blog, Tales of the Recently Laid Off. We also get a kick out of Unemployment Haiku Weekly, (see cartoon) “the online publication where the exquisite and ancient art of Japanese poetry meets the unemployed musing of a laid-off guy.”

More evidence that hiring comes down to reputation and referrals: The Eighth Annual Source of Hire report, which looked at how 309,000 job openings were filled at 45 large firms, shows that internal transfers or promotions made up 38 per cent of all full-time company hires. The report also found that referrals were the biggest source of external hires, at 27.3 per cent.

It’s smart to be selfish. Kris Dunn, the HR Capitalist, offers four Ayn Rand-inspired reasons why you should pursue what you’re good at and pursue it aggressively. Point #3 is the best: “Using your talents to do work others can’t creates a portfolio that separates you from the pack if you do have to make a career change in a recession.”

Aggressive pursuit is NOT appropriate when networking, however. Career coach Miriam Salpeter observed the contrast between people who DO and DON’T know how to network at a recent event. She compares the don’ts to bumper cars: “You know the type: shifty eyes, impatient body language and unfocused conversations. I found it difficult to connect with these networkers, as it seemed that they were much more interested in the next conversation than in the current one.”

On the subject of networking events, Networking Insight offers a pointer for meeting people: “Explain to the organizer who you would like to meet and ask to be introduced to some of these people at the event.”

For more general advice on networking, watch this ABC interview with UpMo.com’s CEO and founder, Promise Phelon.

It’s OK if you don’t like networking events. But it’s important to determine your own networking style and run with it. We’ll leave you with this nugget of inspiration from Liz Strauss, writing in a recent post on how to find your tribe: “Every person you connect to is an opportunity to find out about what you’ve been missing and what you can learn to survive.”

Related Resources

As Job Boards Decline, Your Stock Goes Up

How to Manage Your Career Like a Superstar

When Your Network Speaks, Does Opportunity Listen?

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