Thinking about employment prospects at the beginning of 2003 is rather like thinking about New Year’s resolutions: what will be new and different, what can I change to make things better?
January’s Intercom articles on employment trends and the economy reveal no unexpected news: the market is tight, there is little change in sight, and we must market our skills more effectively than we did when things were booming. Target markets are still expanding. Pay attention to what employers and clients really want now: value for their money. Upgrade your skills. Focus on long-term prospects.
The upside of a downturn is that it concentrates our survival instincts. Whether we want to change or not, we must. Even those of us with secure jobs that will never be “down-sized” (any of you out there have one of those?) must be aware of the many unemployed candidates nipping at your heels. This is a time to develop your creativity. What is important to you and how can you achieve it? Is what you’re doing right now working for you? If not, what new and different strategies can you use to get where you want to be?
A friend of mine once had a secure and moderately interesting job in a large company, but she wanted to run her own business. Eventually she sold her home, quit her job and moved to another city to start her dream business. It didn’t work out and she was forced to return to her hometown and look for another job. As luck would have it, her old job was available and she went back to it, but she told me that she never regretted a day. She did what she always wanted to do, learned a lot in the process, and will never wonder what her life might have been like if only she had taken a chance. And she learned that she could pick herself up after disaster and get on with her life. So don’t be afraid. Do what you need to do and don’t be disheartened by hard times. It’s all grist for the mill.
Oh yes, and come to our regular monthly meetings to upgrade your knowledge, connect with fellow writers, and make use of all of the networking support your professional association can offer.
