Keppie Careers

Social media speaker, social media consultant, job search coach

Majority Say Recession Is Here…What It Means for Your Job Hunt

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After all of the talk about “are we” or “aren’t we” in a recession, the Wall Street Journal reports that it appears that the people who know these things really think we can honestly say we are in a recession:

“The evidence is now beyond a reasonable doubt,” said Scott Anderson of Wells Fargo & Co. Thirty-six of 51 respondents, or more than 70%, said in a survey conducted March 7-11 that the economy is in recession.

So, the big question of the day for job seekers is this:

What impact does this recession have on your job prospects?

Penelope Trunk blogged today that A Recession Probably Won’t Affect Your Job Market.

She quotes experts who note that Boomers are expected to retire in droves causing a shortage of employees.  (Click here for another take on what the Boomers may have planned.) Penelope suggests that even sectors that have been hard-hit by the economy such as finance and real estate should maintain their hiring.  Trunk notes that “In terms of real estate…almost 60% of people working in this market will be retirement age by 2010.”  In theory, there should be plenty of jobs to go around!

I agree with Penelope’s assertion that it is pointless to get all worked up about a recession.  There are many steps to take to help make yourself more marketable and competitive in your search.  If you need a job, job  hunting at this stage may or may not be harder than it ever has been in the past.

However, the fact is, if you are out of work and can’t find a job, pundits and researchers aside…How you are impacted by the recession is based on your own circumstances.  If you are a Boomer not ready to retire or re-invent yourself, this may be a difficult time for you. On the other hand, Gen Y job seekers right out of school may find many job opportunities (assuming they aren’t starting their own online firms!)

Back to the point of the job search being in YOUR hands…

The fact is, optimists outperform their peers in their job searches. Research shows that persistence and a postive attitude pay off in the job hunt, even in difficult economic times.

I think most of us in the career industry agree that leaders, well-branded professionals  and flexible performers who are on top of their career plans should do fine.

The key point is to be prepared, keep on top of your game and don’t let negative talk get you down. Opportunities happen for people who make them happen.

Review of Retire Retirement, by Tamara Erickson

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Regular readers know that I have been reviewing Tamara Erickson’s book, Retire Retirement. Although aimed at Boomers (born 1946 – 1964), the book offers insights that are useful across the generational alphabet!  Erickson’s research suggests that work culture will change in the next decade for several reasons:

1.  To accommodate Boomers seeking flexible, new experiences.  As the first generation with the realistic expectation of a 30-year healthy, active life after age 55, Boomers may engage in several new careers!

2. Because of Gen Y’s desire to have a work-life balance and refusal to join companies requiring 60-hour work weeks. 

(It seems as if Gen X doesn’t have much to say in this matter!)

Erickson makes the case that Boomers who wish to stay in the paid workforce will leverage a lot of power:

  • Boomer skills and experience are needed. Employers don’t want to experience the “brain drain” of Boomers retiring in droves.
  • Technology and a changing economy offer flexible ways of working.
  • Research shows that workers over 55 are more reliable and loyal than younger workers.

Erickson encourages readers to dream big and to think optimistically about their plans.  She believes that by 2025, more companies will embrace next-generation enterprises, which she describes as:

Intensely collaborative, continually informed, technologically adept and skilled at on-going experimentation…Companies will adopt flexible relationships and continual active connections to attract both talented employees and loyal customers (49).

As a result, she believes that employees should reasonably expect the following in the next 5 years:

  • Flexible time.  Changing shifts, compressed work week, individualized schedule.
  • Reduced time. Part-time, job sharing, leave-of-absence programs.
  • Cyclic time. Project-based or contract work.  Employees will focus on a project for a number of weeks or months, complete the work and then either take a break or move on to a new contract.  (Read more about this here.)
  • Flexible place. Telecommuting, no fixed location for work.
  • Task, not time. Instead of working 9 to 6, for example, employees would have a task and be required to put in only the time that it takes to get the work done.

Erickson offers specific strategies for Boomers to negotiate a new work plan.  She encourages this powerful and large group to reinvent themselves and dream big!  The book also outlines a myriad of ways for those seeking a brand new challenge (not with current or similar employers) to leverage their reputation, or “brand.”

Erickson emphasizes that responsibility for a new and improved work life is up to YOU!  Boomers (and future generations) need to plan in advance, position themselves and plot a course to navigate a desired career path.  Many successful workers will map their route years in advance and steer toward their goal.  Others will take advantage of unexpected opportunities.  Either way, a life’s worth of work impacts our options if we wish to work beyond traditional retirement age with the benefit of flexibility and personal choice.

If Erickson is correct about the changes coming to the workplace, Boomers, and younger generations as well should read Retire Retirement to begin to plan how to position themselves in a brave new working world!

Keppie Careers can help you achieve your career goals at any age!  Need a resume?  Job hunting help?  Keppie Careers will assist you every step of the way:  www.keppiecareers.com.