Are you sick of hearing bad news about the economy and job market? Well then, this post is for you.
I’m not trying to discount the fact a lot of people are suffering professionally these days. Yet, the reality is a recession actually has some short-term and long-term upsides when it comes to how we view and manage our careers. That’s right, there is some good coming out of 2.5M jobs lost, wide-spread hiring freezes, and a possible soon to reach double-digit unemployment rate.
Here are three good things a recession does for our careers:
1. Makes being “let-go” not as hard to accept, nor as difficult to explain.
Recently, I spoke to someone who just got let go from their job with a radio station. He’s not that upset about it. Why? He simply said, “My manager told me 20 other people on the team got let go too – and I was the most recent hire. So, I know it had nothing to do with my performance.” Getting laid-off is mainstream. We all know one or more individuals who lost their job recently. Which means, those who get let go aren’t taking it as personally as they would if it happened in a good economy. Instead of feeling singled-out and wondering, “What’s wrong with me?” they are able to effectively rationalize the situation by saying, “I’m not the only one. This was out of my control.”
2. Gets people to rethink the concept of evaluating people based on what they do for a living.
Our society has always put heavy emphasis on determining how much respect to give someone based on their profession…until now. We live in a culture where the phrase, “What do you do?” is asked as frequently, if not more so, than, “How are you?” Let’s be honest, we are all guilty of sizing up someone we’ve just met and making huge assumptions about them based on what they say they do for work. But in an economy like this, job status suddenly shifts. Those employed, regardless of their education or job title, have everyone’s attention. This shift has a profound impact on how we connect with others. It helps us to see people differently, and in many cases, build relationships with those we might not have bothered to connect with in the past.
For example, getting a college degree has always been a status climber in America, but watch this 20/20 segment and you’ll have a whole new respect for the savvy individual who opted to work their way through trade school. In short, a new set of careers suddenly becomes “attractive” in a recession.
3. Forces people to make choices and have experiences they wouldn’t have otherwise.
Needing to pay the bills can make even the most discerning job seeker take work that will provide a paycheck. In doing so, people make new and often valuable connections, and in some cases, even discover new career paths.
A young man I knew took a job bartending after college at a local country club. He had a degree in finance, but couldn’t land a job. Instead, he spent several months serving drinks to the club members. He got to know a lot of the regulars quite well, to the point he would get their drinks ready as they walked in the door without them asking. One day, one of the members who had been particularly impressed by the bartender’s attentiveness and professionalism asked him about his background. The grad shared his story of getting a degree but not being able to find work. The member gave him his business card and the name of a person at his office to call for an interview. One week later, the former bartender was in a new full-time job.
These are just a few of the things a recession can do to help careers. I’m sure there are more. Share your thoughts below.
How is the current economy changing your definition of career success and your thoughts around the best way to achieve it?
[This article was originally posted on an earlier date]
J.T. O’Donnell is the founder of CAREEREALISM.com and CEO of CareerHMO.com, a web-based career development company.
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26 Comments
Nice article, J.T. I like this unique take on unemployment; a glass half-full perspective.
I agree. In addition, this economy is giving us the opportunity to rethink what is important in life. There are no U-Hauls behind hearses, and work that has meaning to you is a greater gift to you and yours than a position you loathe with killer salary and benefits.
One of my goals in life for me and my clients (to borrow from Gallup) is “to get to do what I do best every day!”
I agree. In addition, this economy is giving us the opportunity to rethink what is important in life. There are no U-Hauls behind hearses, and work that has meaning to you is a greater gift to you and yours than a position you loathe with killer salary and benefits.
One of my goals in life for me and my clients (to borrow from Gallup) is “to get to do what I do best every day!”
I agree. In addition, this economy is giving us the opportunity to rethink what is important in life. There are no U-Hauls behind hearses, and work that has meaning to you is a greater gift to you and yours than a position you loathe with killer salary and benefits.
One of my goals in life for me and my clients (to borrow from Gallup) is “to get to do what I do best every day!”
It is a tough market. If you are looking – regardless of if you are employed or unemployed – you know exactly what I'm talking about.
I assume this site has already talked this point up, but here's my advice: be daring! If your current job searching strategies aren't working, try new methods. STOP looking at job boards. START networking and in a SMART way, i.e., don't go after those who are hiring (job boards, job boards everywhere, but not a call to answer), but research companies and industries – determine how your current skills are transferable to this new industry. CALL people in those companies, determine if you have professional colleagues, friends, family members connected to people there. ASK for informational interviews or a quick coffee. USE blogs like this one. WRITE, WRITE, WRITE hand-written thank yous to those who have helped you (career counselors, friends, professional colleagues, etc.). T
It is a tough market. If you are looking – regardless of if you are employed or unemployed – you know exactly what I'm talking about.
I assume this site has already talked this point up, but here's my advice: be daring! If your current job searching strategies aren't working, try new methods. STOP looking at job boards. START networking and in a SMART way, i.e., don't go after those who are hiring (job boards, job boards everywhere, but not a call to answer), but research companies and industries – determine how your current skills are transferable to this new industry. CALL people in those companies, determine if you have professional colleagues, friends, family members connected to people there. ASK for informational interviews or a quick coffee. USE blogs like this one. WRITE, WRITE, WRITE hand-written thank yous to those who have helped you (career counselors, friends, professional colleagues, etc.). T
As with other I have my up days and I have my down days. I have been off since Feb 4 2009 and the down days seem to surpass the up days but I have faith there is a reason for all this.
I particularly like point three. Job loss can really force you to think outside the box and begin to consider options you would never have even looked at before. This can open some door on to amazing new routes forward.
Isn'tt it a shame so many people need the pain of redundancy to jolt them into real lateral thinking?
I agree with the above. I was recently laid off and it has been a little easier to accept and get past any negative feelings because it is a much more common event and it will be easier to explain in an interview.
One other benefit that I hope comes out of this is an opportunity to find a new career or a different venue. I have enjoyed my job and the work I have done for the past 9 years, and I was not looking externally or looking at different avenues because I had a good job in a company large enough that I could find opportunities in-house. Now I am very much focused on new opportunities for me to use my strengths to contribute in a different direction.
I've been in school and working freelance for so long that I really, really want some stability. I mean, knowing I was going to get paid every other week would be wonderful! But now I'm in the “had a high-profile career, lost it all, middle-aged, went back to school and now the economy is in a mess” kind of situation. The up-side? I might just start my own “recession helper” business!
I agree that you have to push yourself outside of the box and keep on keeping on and moving forward in a tough economy.
JT makes some great points in her post. Although losing a job is often very tough to deal with, it can also open many doors to a new career that you never thought possible.
In order to make this happen, you (as a job seeker) need to figure out what makes you special and how to promote yourself to employers. These skills are crucial to setting yourself apart from other job applicants.
Thanks for the great post. Reason number two stood out. As an NYC resident the question, “What do you do?,” comes up often. Often times it great to get to know the hobbies of others vs. what they do in their job.
An interesting effect I've seen of this recession is more recent graduates are looking for adventures abroad or in places in the U.S. far from their homes. I came from the U.S. to China to work because my best job offer in the arts was here, and some of my friends and classmates are moving to other countries to teach English even though it had nothing to do with their majors. This sort of experience is great for our cross-cultural communication skills, and I'm confident it will benefit us later in our careers.
You are right, I've seen evidence of the going abroad trend too. It's funny, I actually was advising young professionals against this back when times were different. Primarily, because they were taking off without a gameplan for their careers and then returning feeling disconnected and behind their peers. But in this economy, a trip abroad offers a lot of learning potential and not much will be missed while their gone in terms of career advancement. And of course, globalization continues to affect business, so learning about other cultures and mastering additional languages certainly has the potential to pay off down the line. Thanks Beth for the insight!
If the economy was “normal” right now, I would probably have a full-time office job. And I might be miserable. Instead I'm working full-time, learning a new industry, trying out freelancing, making connections, and actually taking care of myself. As long as the bills keep getting paid, I'm superbly happy.
I'm also excited that both my siblings are taking alternate paths than the simple 4-year college. It wouldn't be right for either of them.
@ouelletteda – You bring up such a good point…I wonder how many office jobs people would be in right now and hating? I think it's great that people don't have to feel the pressure to take a full-time job they don't like just because it's available and society says it's the right thing to do. For most people, there isn't a single job that feeds all their professional needs and interests. There is a lot of talk now about slash careers (and a good book out on the subject as well) and how we are all moving towards having several jobs in different areas in order to feel fulfilled. This recession can help more people build their skills and abilities to work in this fashion. By not relying on a full-time job, the opportunities to change up the career mix is so much greater.
Thanks for posting!
From what I have read and seen in my own children (18,19, and 23) that this generation is much more about doing what they want instead of what they are expected to do.
I am one of those people in an office job I am hating right now. I feel guilty on one hand complaining because I do have a job and make good money but… I would love to quit and do something different. I have too many responsibilities to be able to do that. I am working toward that creative part of me that is not expressed in my current job through a business venture I am involved in. Unfortunately reality is I have to do what I have to do today to take care of my family.
I know it wil not always be like this. Any advice you can offered an older worker that can't just quit.
I can relate to that Lisa. At 33, I felt like I had the Golden Handcuffs and couldn't change gears either. Financial commitments make it hard to just walk away. Not sure if this will help, but here's something to consider…
In my experience, those that have successfully transitioned in to a career later in life did it by actually narrowing down the options and choosing one specific type of career they wanted to move into. Then, they focused all of their networking efforts on this cause. They chose to attend certain association events, set up informational interviews, and crafted and marketed a Career Story that was highly targeted. Some people feel like that limits them, but it actually helps a more seasoned professional work smarter in a job search. When you choose a career niche, it's easier for people to help you achieve your goal.
Recently, a person I know reinvented herself and got into an entirely different field in this fashion. It took her a year of focused efforts, but it paid off and she is infinitely more happy now. She shared with me that she really saw herself grow throughout the year in terms of knowing who she was and what she wanted. Her efforts helped her improve her ability to market her skills and gain confidence that when she finally got her chance, she'd do well. Don't get me wrong, she had her down days, but all in all, once she made the decision to focus on one career and just keep going until it happened, things came together and she got results.
Anyone else have ideas?
Andrea – I have to agree with your statment ” Today, career success is about continually learning, growing and adapting.”
While I STILL have a full time position, you never know what will be around the corner. I have my Master’s degree and working at a job I hate (it’s not the people I work with but the petty politics upper management plays upon people’s lives) I continue to read and learn on my own time.
Some of my co-workers/friends know that I am constantly reading books (non-fluff) and take notes of what I read and find interesting that they state that I have enough to write my own book! Hmmm … can’t say that hasn’t crossed my mind! Needless to say that I do NOT intend be be an author/writer outright as a full time job!
So I studied Interior Design and when I got done w/ school I was having trouble finding work, considering that, my fiance and I have decided to work for ourselves, well I guess it was his idea more so than mine considering I don't have much work experience but I do have a passion for design; I guess he thinks that I am talented enough to work for myself; I guess we'll see.
Hi Susan – thanks for posting! I think it's great that you and your fiance are going to go out on your own. Learning to work for ourselves is a good skill to develop – we wrote a post about its benefits called Work 2.0 not long ago – you'll find tips from a successful freelancer Matt May in it. It's on our Career Strategy Articles Page.
And, if you feel like writing a post about your decision to start your own business with your husband and want to share it, we have a guest post program called 'Career In Progress' where readers can share their story. You get to also include your business info in it at the end. So, it's a great way to get online exposure. Feel free to e-mail us at info@careerealism.com if you are interested.
Thanks again for joining the discussion and best wishes to you both!
I love the point you made on item #2. My husband is a carpenter and when we first met, I had a really hard time wrapping my mind about his “value” as a person because of his career path and education status. After we were engaged, it felt weird to tell my college friends that I was marrying a carpenter. Now I’m grateful for his alternative education and career path and I really admire that he picked a career he loved, even when it was not trendy or popular to be a carpenter. Since his self worth was never tied to his career (completely opposite of me), the lack of popularity never fazed him.
I’ve learned so much through the opportunities for growth he has been offered and the connections we have made through his career. At the end of the day, my husband will always have a strong set of marketable job skills that can get us through anything, even an economic downturn or a recession.
And I’m grateful I didn’t have to wait until 2009 to learn that lesson.
Thanks Dorie for your comment. I agree, I have such respect for people who realized early in their careers that they needed to pursue what was right for them as opposed to what they thought would impress others. Sadly, I was the latter, and it wasn't until I gave myself what I jokingly call an 'extreme career makeover' in my 30's that I learned this lesson. The Golden Handcuffs have more than a few people stuck professionally today. So those who pursued a career path on their own terms are folks I really admire.
So true Andrea. I think when we embrace the concept of career as the constant process of development you outlined, we can’t possibly fail or feel bad about our choices. Also, it allows us to respect and appreciate that everyone has the right to go about it differently. I’ve been bothered by society’s outdated definition of ‘professional success’ for some time. I think we tend to put the wrong people on a pedestal – creating a lot of undo pressure for those who don’t yet know how to create their own authentic definition of career success. Young people in particular.
What do others think? Will our role models change in the recession too?
After seeing so many talented people lose their jobs, I’ll never let my self-worth be completely tied to my career or to a certain job. Today, career success is about continually learning, growing and adapting.