3 steps you can take, starting TODAY, to recession-proof your career
There’s so much talk about the slowdown of hiring, layoffs across numerous tech companies, offers being rescinded, and a possible recession. It’s causing feelings of uncertainty. People are starting to ask themselves, how can I recession-proof my career?
If any of this resonates with you, here are 3 steps you can take today.
Learn a new skill
Whether you decide to stay where you are, find a new job, or decide you want to start a side venture, learning a new skill will benefit you short- and long-term. It can create a path for you to get promoted, transfer into a new role internally, become more marketable when job searching, or help you prepare for a career change.
If you’re currently employed, check your company benefits to see if there are professional development reimbursement money you can use to take a paid course or go back to school. If this is not available, check if there are free resources that are provided to all employees for free such as Udemy or Coursera.
If none of the options above are available or you’re not employed (yet), there are free courses and certifications you can earn through Grow Your Career with Google.
Connect with people on a regular basis
Whenever I coach clients on developing their networking skills, a commonly shared limiting belief I hear often is that they feel like they’re only connecting with people because they need something from them. It makes them feel icky or sleezy. I understand. That’s why I recommend practicing your networking skills on a regular basis. This is one of the best ways to avoid experiencing these feelings.
When you practice catching up with people on a regular basis you start to reduce the time gap between your last connection and your future connection. It eliminates that feeling of reaching out to someone ‘out of the blue’ and asking for something. When you do this on a regular basis you get a chance to exchange career updates with one another. This is the perfect time to fill them in on what your career goals are and give them an opportunity to offer ways they can help you.
While we’re on this topic, when I say “regular basis” I don’t mean every day or every week. Choose a cadence that feels comfortable for you. It can be monthly, quarterly, or bi-annually.
Find new ways to create value
Having been exposed to confidential conversations behind the scenes I’m aware of what gets factored into talent mobility and layoff decisions. One factor that I see as the best leverage in those decisions is the value one creates for the company.
When you prove that your skills, knowledge, expertise, creativity, leadership, or social capital creates value to the company in some manner I can guarantee that 2 things are happening behind the scenes. One, your name will surface in the conversation when a new opportunity develops. And two, decision makers will do everything in their power to keep you at the company.
Now is the perfect time to identify a way (or ways) for you to create value. Here are 5 questions that Gorick Ng (author of The Unspoken Rules and career advisor for first-generation and low-income students) suggests you ask yourself to figure out how you can add value to a company.
1. What can I do that hasn’t been done?
2. What can I fix that hasn’t been fixed?
3. What can I bridge that hasn’t been bridged?
4. What can I know that others don’t know?
5. What can I share that hasn’t been shared?
Uncertainty can evolve into anxiety, feeling overwhelmed, and stress. One way you can reduce these feelings is to take control of what you can control and do something that will benefit future you.
About Leang Chung
Leang Chung (she/her) is the Founder & CEO of Pelora Stack, career coach, and people operations consultant for early-stage startups. She empowers mid-career womxn as they prepare for their ‘first’. First time career changers. First time founders who are new to people management. First time solopreneurs. Read more about Leang here.
