How to Make a Recession-Proof Career
As the economy continues to fluctuate, many of us are wondering how to tailor a recession-proof career. However, consider this, sometimes what makes a career recession-proof lies within the individual and not the industry or company. Here are some practical steps to take – regardless of experience level – that will keep your job secure and your mind at peace.
Be Flexible
At any company where you’re employed, you typically outline your 2-3 year goals that include professional development. This can include moving to different teams or even departments. However in an uncertain economy, it is best to divert more focus on the company’s needs to further reinforce your inherent value – even if that means delaying projects and promotions in the short term. Understand that the shift you feel in your role is also experienced on a company-wide level. Even amongst your professional network, you’d be hard pressed to find a colleague who hasn’t been affected by this recent layoff season. And if that means you may need to adjust your role in the intermediary to best help out while the company pivots, take that opportunity head on!
Take Initiative
Be proactive on projects your team prioritizes. What are tasks that have gone under the radar that you feel motivated to take on? Think of how you can use your talents to contribute to your company’s goals that were recently adjusted and new goals that were brought into the picture. (A rule of thumb with this is before you approach your supervisor with a passion project, make sure there isn’t any lingering work of theirs that you can also assist with.) In addition, if there is an idea you’ve had about improving your workflow, go for it. Nine times outta ten if you’ve thought about it on more than one occasion, that’s a sign you shouldn’t ignore!
Learn New Skills
Even if that means learning a new skill that you may not have needed before the recession. With a downsized organization, what project interests you enough to learn more about by taking an online course? There are plenty of hard and soft skills to choose from. Both can help boost your value to your manager and team. The method with developing the right skills is to consider what task was last held up due to road blocks or necessary assistance from other coworkers. List the skill(s) you may be most interested in or take the least time to develop. From there, dive into materials necessary to study your way from adequate to advanced!
Overall, remain open to shift where and when necessary. Recession-proofing your career is where you look at the company on a macro level and in return extend your role’s longevity.
