Feature Article: Developing Your Job/Career/Life Survival Plan: Preparing for the Possibility of Losing Your Job in Weak Economic Times
Special Feature: Silver Linings in a Financial Meltdown: How Workers and Job-Seekers Can Make the Best of a Bad Economy
Roundup Feature: Attacking the Job Market and Workplace Proactively in Tough Times: A Roundup of Expert Advice
Bonus Features: Is Your Job in Jeopardy? Impending Layoff Warning Signs AND How Secure is Your Job? A Job Jeopardy/Layoff Assessment
from Quintessential Careers
Extra Feature: Job-Search Advice for College Seniors and Recent College Grads: Job-Hunting in Times of Uncertainty
Quintessential Site: Featured Career Web Site of this Issue
Latest Additions: What's New on Quintessential Careers
Q TIPS: Quick and Quintessential Tips to Guide Your Job Search
Editor's and Publisher's Note:
About this Issue...
We've declared today, Nov. 3, 2008, Job Action Day worldwide -- a day for
job-seekers and workers to confront the current economic crisis head-on and
take action steps to improve their careers.
To rally those who have lost their jobs or are facing possible job loss in
the current devastated economic climate, Job Action Day 2008 aims to empower
workers and job-seekers to take proactive steps to shore up their job and
career outlook.
For job-seekers, Job Action Day is a chance to take a break from the daily
grind of job-hunting to take a look at the bigger picture of their careers
and job-search strategies. It's a day to strategize plans for developing new
job and career options and devising new and better ways to track down job
leads and position themselves for employment opportunities.
For workers facing possible job loss, Job Action Day is a time to not only
examine their current job and employer, but also evaluate both the stability
of that job and employer as well as their personal fulfillment with their
jobs. It's a day to take stock of their careers and develop a plan for their
next career steps.
We have deliberately set Job Action Day 2008 for the eve of the U.S.
presidential election to encourage voters to think about job creation and
the avoidance of further job losses as they cast their votes. Beyond the
election, workers and job-seekers must hold the next president's feet to the
fire. Echoing Hillary Rodham Clinton's battle cry at a recent rally in
Orlando, FL, the concept of "Jobs, Baby, Jobs" must be a top priority for
the new leader.
Our challenge to you, our readers, is to ask you to do at least ONE
proactive thing TODAY, Job Action Day 2008, to improve your job and/or
career situation. Whether you update your resume, develop a backup plan in
case of job loss, or add contacts to your network, take at least one action
Today for Job Action Day. As our regular contributor Joe Turner says, "
Don't let all the hype about the economy spook you into a state of panic and
inaction."
To help you do that, we've brought you an assessment and five articles with
action steps you can take right now to safeguard and propel your career.
Although we conceived Job Action Day very recently, we are heartened by the
huge reaction of career experts and bloggers who are joining us in this
effort. Dozens of them contributed tips for the article, Attacking the Job
Market and Workplace Proactively in Tough Times: A Roundup of Expert Advice.
Others are writing about Job Action Day in their own blogs and newsletters.
Other article topics we tackle in this issue include assessing the security
of your job, recognizing layoff warning signs, developing a plan in the
event of job loss, making the best of a bad economy, and -- for new grads
and college students, job-hunting in uncertain times.
By the way, after we set the date for Job Action Day, we realized the day
was coincidentally the 12th anniversary of Quintessential Careers. We are
confident the Job Action Day effort is a fitting way to celebrate our dozen
years of empowering workers, students, and job-seekers.
--Katharine Hansen, Ph.D., Master Resume Writer, Credentialed Career Master,
Certified Electronic Career Coach, and editor at
kathy@quintcareers.com
Feature Article: Job/Career/Life Survival Plan
Developing Your Job/Career/Life Survival Plan:
Preparing for the Possibility of Losing Your Job in Weak Economic Times
by Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.
Let's start with something positive: the job market will get better. Even
though we are bombarded with news of company collapses, massive layoffs, and
talk of the unemployment rate hitting close to 8 percent in 2009, we should
stay focused on the things we can control -- which include things like
upholding strong job performance, building a strong internal and external
brand, and keeping a strong hold on the reality of your situation.
In any economy, no one's job is safe, but in a weak and unstable economy,
the concept of job security goes off the table. What can you do to prepare
yourself for this type of work environment?
A weak economy and job market makes it even more essential to have a strong resume that
helps open doors to new job and career opportunities.
QUINTESSENTIAL RESUMES AND COVER LETTERS provides solutions
with unmatched quality in the areas of career planning, professional resume writing, and interviewing, having
successfully helped tens of thousands of clients, from executives through individuals beginning a career,
succeed in their career goals.
Silver Linings in a Financial Meltdown: How Workers and Job-Seekers Can Make the Best of a Bad Economy
by Katharine Hansen, Ph.D.
The e-mail I got today was typical of what I've been hearing: "For the first
time in my career I find myself unexpectedly searching for a job. Until
recently, I was the sales manager for a well-known horticultural company and
have been laid off because of the company's shaky financial picture."
In troubled economic times, a kind of paralysis sets in among the newly
jobless like my e-mail correspondent, as well as workers who fear the axe
may soon fall on them. Perhaps they are in denial, but too many of them
hunker down and refuse to invest in the very tools they need to be ready for
possible job loss. If you think your job is even remotely threatened by an
economic meltdown, you must be ready with -- at a minimum, your resume --
and perhaps career coaching to help you regroup and find work as quickly as possible.
It's also smart to think in new ways and anticipate the silver linings that
may result from the economic crisis. Taking inspiration from "the other side
of the hiring desk," recruiting experts who have recently written about
retooling in the face of the meltdown, this article helps point out hidden
opportunities to be found in a downturn.
We know that freezes will occur -- freezes in spending, raises, career
advancement, and worst of all, hiring. Writing on ERE.net, recruiting guru
Dr. John Sullivan calls these "one of the first knee-jerk reactions many
CFOs and senior managers take." What will freezes mean for you? And how can
you find those silver linings?
We are thrilled that on very short notice, about 20 influential career, job, and work bloggers have joined the
effort to blog about taking a proactive stance with your job and career on Job Action Day!
To read all these helpful blog posts -- including ones from the Quintessential Careers family of blogs -- go to
Job Action Day 2008.
Special Feature: Roundup of Expert Advice
Attacking the Job Market and Workplace Proactively in Tough Times: A Roundup of Expert Advice
Compiled by Katharine Hansen, Ph.D.
We asked job and career gurus for tips on how workers and job-seekers can
take a proactive stance to improve their jobs and careers, even in a tough
economic climate -- and we got an earful.
We asked experts to complete this sentence: "If you could offer one piece of
advice for how workers and job-seekers can be proactive regarding their jobs
and careers at this difficult time, it would be ________________________."
1. Is Your Job in Jeopardy? Impending Layoff Warning Signs
by Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.
Even in the best of times, workers get laid off from their jobs. The
situation only gets worse -- and more frequent -- in poor economic situations.
Furthermore, it's not just "bad" -- dissatisfied or incompetent -- employees
that get fired. For any number of reasons, workers at all competence levels
will most likely feel the sting of being fired at least once in their
careers. The better you are at your job, of course, the smaller the chance
-- but don't let that feeling of security block you from some of the key
warning signs that layoffs are coming to a job near you, including your own.
The purpose of this article -- and our accompanying assessment, How Secure
is Your Job? A Job Jeopardy/Layoff Assessment (see below) -- is to help open
to your eyes to an impending layoff so that you can be better prepared to
find a new job whether the layoffs come or not.
The warning signs that your job is trouble can be separated into two
categories -- corporate issues and individual issues. Both categories
deserve your careful scrutiny and analysis.
2. How Secure is Your Job? A Job Jeopardy/Layoff Assessment from Quintessential Careers
by Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.
Workers who are happy in their jobs rarely take the time to assess their job
security. Workers who are unhappy or struggling avoid thinking about job
security. Workers who are working for an organization in the middle of a
merger or acquisition do all they can to ignore rumors about job security.
The reality is that most of us will be fired or downsized at least once in
our careers, and while that event is traumatic enough, it's best not to be
blindsided by a job loss. The value of this assessment is to help you gauge
your job security so that you can take steps to protect your job and/or
begin searching for a new job.
Job-Search Advice for College Seniors and Recent College Grads: Job-Hunting in Times of Uncertainty
by Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.
It seems pretty unfair when you think about it. You've worked hard in school
for some 15 or more years, including 4 or more years in college, all with
the plan that once you made it through all that schooling, you would have a
good-paying job waiting for you. But now, with the U.S. and global economies
mired in the slowdown of a generation and saddled with college debt, you
face an uncertain future.
There may be no good-paying job waiting for you. Those who have already
graduated and are still searching for a job in your career field know that.
And for you seniors graduating in 2009, many fewer good-paying jobs wait
for you. That said, the more prepared you are -- and the more you maximize
your job-search efforts -- the more likely you will be one of the lucky ones
who does land a great job.
It's certainly not the best time to be a recent college graduate or a
college senior, but that doesn't mean you have to give up on finding a good
job and retreat back home to your family's basement (since your mom has
already made your bedroom into her workout room). Nor should it mean you
give up on a job-search altogether and forge on to grad school, hoping by
the time you finish your graduate degree the job market will be better.
No. Instead, if you
follow the advice in our article
you can increase the odds that you will indeed be one of the lucky few who
find a good-paying job. And yes, by the way, these strategies will work in
all economic situations -- but they will especially help in times of uncertainty.
Yes, the idea of Job Action Day is to be positive and avoid paralysis and
fear of job loss. But, let's face it -- economists predict the current
crisis will get worse before it gets better, and unemployment will rise.
Job Action Day is also about taking proactive steps if you are unemployed or
expect to be.
Unemployed Workers describes itself as an "on-line forum created after the
2001 recession for the nation's jobless and underemployed workers. Now
again, in 2008, with another recession threatening millions of hard-working
families, this Website provides a timely resource to learn more about the
key programs available to workers and communities hard hit by the economy,
to share experiences and concerns, and to participate in the national debate
to stimulate the economy and make sure families get the aid they need to
find good-paying jobs. "
The site's main sections cover extending jobless benefits, offering
resources for unemployed workers (including links to government Websites
designed to help workers access current benefit programs), providing an
opportunity "for workers to share and document [in a Worker Forum] their
concerns and experiences coping with today's especially tight job market and
to pose questions of common interest to other workers," and reporting
helpful statistics that "document the new realities of long-term
unemployment and the need for an extension of federal jobless benefits."
The site also sends out action alerts to those who sign up for them.
ESLJOB.org -- a job site for ESL teachers seeking ESL, TEFL, and TESOL
jobs in a variety of countries, including China, Korea, Japan, Czech Republic, Thailand,
Vietnam, Spain, and Slovenia. Job-seekers can browse job listings by country and post your
resume. Also includes a small collection of resources. No cost to job-seekers.
HireAHelper.com -- where independent contractors who specialize
in moving, cleaning, lawn, or day labor can post their profiles (including availably and rates)
and be matched with employers seeking temporary help. Site takes a 15 percent commission on al work.
Season Jobs 365 -- where job-seekers can find
temporary work, summer jobs, winter jobs, working holidays, jobs abroad, ski and snowboard
jobs, holiday reps, resort work, catering, and other seasonal work. Job-seekers can search or
browse job listings by location or job type. Part of the One World 365 network of Websites.
No cost to job-seekers.
YorZ.com -- combines professional networking, a public job board,
and a network of career groups based on companies, schools and professions. Job-seekers can
build and extend your network of professionals in your field; find and share the latest jobs
often not found on job boards; and stand out as pre-qualified to employers. No cost to job-seekers.
Find even more career and job site additions to Quintessential Careers by visiting our
Latest Additions section.
Q TIPS:
Quick and Quintessential Tips to Guide Your Job Search and Work Life
Our Q Tips this issue are from experts who submitted advice for workers and job-seekers to help them take
proactive steps on Job Action Day 2008. Here's what they advised:
Focus on things you CAN control:
Producing quality work (those who are employed); this is the time to prove you are
reliable and capable of producing results in difficult times.
Updating your professional collateral (resume, cover letter)
to highlight key skills, accomplishments -- what are the most pertinent skills in your field, and
how can you prove that you've mastered them?
Expanding your professional network -- how can you leverage social networks to meet new
people cross-functionally, across industries, across geographies?
Developing a "Plan B" -- if your current company/industry is in a restructuring phase,
what other companies/organizations/industries can benefit from your talents?
In these stressful times the No. 1 thing that someone can do to help
protect his or her job, client base, or maintain sales, is to have the best
image possible from head to toe.
For men the No. 1 thing to do is to make sure that you are not matching your superficial appearance with their suit and tie (brown hair
with brown suit jackets or ties that match the shirt). Ties are a power tool. When choosing ties, look for bold classic colors such as jewel tones
or raspberry and magenta. A tie should not detract from the face, so an angled stripe that draws the eye upward is best. Patterns should be very
small and never paisleys or florals, which suggest femininity and will diminish credibility. Navy suits are the best because even an inexpensive
suit looks good in navy. Be careful with black that you don't look too "slick" or "gangsterish". Brown is not a power color. Psychologically it's
"earthy," as are suits in olive green, which say "nature".
For women, the biggest credibility killer is the blazer jacket, turtleneck, and chain combo. While some people think that this look is conservative and
suitable for the office, it actually appears matronly and not powerful. Women can find great fitted jackets in interesting styles and with shape
built in that are more polished and professional. Wearing bright vibrant colors will separate you from the pack and distinguish you as
"bright" "happy" and "energetic." Avoid "food" colors like lime green and orange. Go with the classic jewel tones or great colors like magenta,
fuchsia, and shocking pink (not baby pink). Avoid pastels, which sugest timidity. Make sure to wear professional makeup and great bold accessories,
and you have the winning combination!
For both men and women ditch business "casualty" even on "Casual Friday".
Once you notice the difference in looking your very best every day, you will
never want to let that image down.
When you look like an expert from head to toe, you are treated like an
expert and the boss will find it more difficult to get rid of someone so
important to the company.
-- Sandy Dumont, THE Image Architect,
where Dumont offers a no-cost eBook, "Tattle Tale Looks."
Have a system in place to get and stay organized. Job boards and online
resources are helpful but have actually complicated the job-search process.
It is critical that your system can track which resume and cover letter went
to what company and when, enable you to quickly access your research,
monitor timing of follow-up calls and e-mails, and provide a contact
management system. Whether you have a handwritten notebook, use a
spreadsheet, or an online tool, an organizational system is crucial to
job-search success.
Quintessential Careers Press Announces Our Latest Book: The Quintessential Guide to
Finding and Maximizing Internships.
The Quintessential Guide to Finding and Maximizing Internships,
by Katharine Hansen, Ph.D., and Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D., provides eight chapters that
will help you decide what you need in your internship experience, tell you how to find one,
give you the tools to secure one, teach you how to make the most of your internship experience,
show you how to turn an internship into a job, and provide internship resources.
QuintCareers Network of Empowering Blogs
What are QuintCareers empowering blogs?
The Career Doctor Blog:
Especially for those who miss our former regular feature, Ask the Career Doctor, this blog each day features a question and answer from The
Career Doctor, Randall S. Hansen, PhD.
If your school, organization, business or other
entity has a Web site, we welcome you to link to Quintessential Careers.
If you already have a link from your site, we want you to know we
appreciate it. If you don't have a link to us, please
send a request to your site's Webmaster to establish a
link to Quintessential Careers. Thanks so much!
For more details (including sample HTML copy), see our
Link to Us page.
Need a career expert for a story or article you're working on? Searching for college,
career, and job news? Interested in learning more about Quintessential Careers?
Our Press Room
is your one-stop location for getting the information and resources you need.
QuintZine: Topics in Upcoming Issues
WATCH FOR feature articles on these topics in upcoming issues of QuintZine:
* Credit Reports and Job-Search
* 10 Critical Interviewing Tips
* 3 Generations of Workers: Y, X, Boomers
* College Financing
* The Academic Job Search
* Perks of Working in Higher Ed
* Blogging Way to New Job or Holiday Job-Hunting
* Office Politics
* Maternity Leave
* Jobs on the Cutting Edge
* Job Search IQ Quiz
* Resume Bullet Points: Before and After
* GLBT Job-search Issues
* The Value of Internships Abroad and Study Abroad
* Top 10 Fears of Job-seekers
* For Job-hunting Success, Develop a Detailed Job-Search Plan
* Keep Your Career Dreams Alive
* MBA Career Portfolios
* Pre-Hire Background/Credit Checks
* Financial Aid/Scholarship Timetable
* Build Confidence and Avoid Insecurity in Job Interviews
* Empty Nest Job-seekers
* Lifelong Networking
* Networking for the Shy
* Working Night Shifts/Odd Hours
* Quintessential Career Profiles of YOU, our readers
* Q&As with well-known career experts
* Book reviews
. . . and much, much more...
