Recession Session #1: Be Prepared
It’s here and we have no choice but to weather the storm.
The deep cuts of the American economic crisis are continuing to hemorrhage jobs at an unmatched pace.
A recent U.S. Labor Department jobs report shows the economy lost 524,000 jobs in December and 1.9 million in the year’s final four months following September’s credit crisis. With the unemployment rate climbing toward 10% and the underemployment rate a staggering 13.5% many people are left wondering— how will we survive?
While I cannot offer a solution, I can hope to provide some tools to educate the recession weatherer.
The first step towards ensuring recession safety is preparing yourself. As so many companies are downsizing, the last place you want to find yourself is looking for a job during this growing period of high unemployment rates… but if you do find yourself in such a situation it is important to be prepared.
Update Your Resume
It’s a new year and a good time to update your resume. A current CV is important to have, and takes a bit of stress out of an unexpected and often unwelcome search for a new job. Below you will find some links to help you get organized:
Monster.com Resume Writing Tips
Associated Content : How to Update Your Resume
Career Management Alliance: Update Your Resume
Keep Your Contacts Close
Now might be a good time to put in a call to some of those dusty contacts. Make a list friends and colleagues to call— see how the new year has been treating them so far, play catch-up, say hello. This list should include not only those that may hire you, but also those that can spread the word and keep a look out for job opportunities.These might just be the same contacts you will find yourself turning to should you find yourself in search of a new position. It never hurts to stay in touch.
Acquaint Yourself With Job Resources
In the digital age opportunities don’t always knock, but they are available to those diligent seekers who refuse to wait passively. Depending on your experience and field of work, you may find job opportunities in any number of places. But just as important as knowing what you are looking for is knowing where to find it; here are a few online resources, including some that specialize in 6 figure income jobs.
Monster
Hot Jobs
Job Hunt
Career Builder
Simply Hired
6FigureJobs
TheLadders
There is nothing certain about what the future may hold, but the first step towards a positive outcome is being prepared.



