For many of us it’s still a downturn

March 30th, 2010

Take control of your career during the downturn
With prospects for new jobs still looking grim for many people, some graduates of business schools are struggling to take their careers to the next level. The marketplace has wavered between resilient and impossible, but opportunities are beginning to present themselves.

Available strategies
There are two distinct strategies available. The first is to find ways to make yourself more marketable for when companies start to hire again and the second is to seek opportunities with your present employer.

Don’t get stuck
You get stuck – you need to be an active player in shaping your own future. Whether you are a graduate waiting to move when the economy goes into a growth phase again or whether you are seeking opportunities within your present job, there are a number of ways to bolster your resume for when the time is right. We believe that effective leaders and managers continue to develop their repertoire of skills throughout their careers, and that a significant part of this development occurs through practical experience. The more varied the practical experience, the greater the likelihood of developing a broad repertoire of skills.

Don’t waste time
Now is not the time to waste valuable energy watching your back, getting involved in the politics of the organization. Now is the time of taking action. It’s the time for more personal accountability, and taking control of your own career and delivering more than expected of you.

Here are the steps
Establish the opportunities to transfer into a new position at the same pay scale – but in a different area in the business – “the lateral career move”. Before following this strategy, the opportunity should be researched well to ensure that it will benefit your career but will also be enjoyable.

Seek help
A common trait of successful graduates is that none of them achieved their success on their own. Successful graduates seek the wisdom, knowledge and experience of other successful people. Mentors have never been more important than they are today as the traditional career paths have disappeared, and we often work in jobs that did not exist five years ago. Having a support group of quality mentors that you stay in touch with will provide direction through each phase of your development.

Brainstorming
Brainstorm ideas for career alternatives by discussing your core values and skills with your mentor, family, friends and networking. Listen to what they say – listening is an essential skill that builds important human relationships.

Investigate
Investigate educational opportunities that will bridge your background to your new field. This could be an in-company course or an evening course at a local college. Read as much as you can and reach out to personal contacts for an interview.

Identify
Identify freelance and volunteer activities related to your interests to test the validity of these. Many opportunities are not defined jobs at different levels; they are, rather, strategic projects. Establish what these are and make sure you volunteer for the project team closest to your interest.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 30th, 2010 at 3:33 pm and is filed under Economy, Finance. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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