With the media generating hysteria over the world’s financial instability, the employment outlook for 2009 seeming bleak and fewer career development opportunities within some sectors than there are in others, the careful planning of your career progression will undoubtedly help towards your success during a recession. Planning now will give you more control over your career direction, so you can think about what you would like to achieve and work towards this while considering every eventuality.
NES has observed a significant rise in the number of companies favouring permanent workers in light of current economic conditions, which seems to contradict the commonly held belief that a more flexible workforce - with the ability to terminate contracts more easily if necessary - is preferable during times of uncertainty. It seems as though, with budgets coming under increasing scrutiny, the stability offered through a permanent workforce has grown in popularity.
Many technical and engineering personnel are fortunate that demand for their skills remain strong: the oil & gas, power generation and pharmaceutical sectors are comparatively resilient in a recession than, for example, the construction industry, which has been significantly affected by the economic downturn - although even the construction industry continues to present opportunities for suitably skilled personnel with PFIs and 2012 Olympics work.
It is important to be adaptable and consider whether your type of employment could be changed. Accepting permanent work after working on a contract basis might not seem ideal but bad decision-making this year may have greater consequences than it would at any other time, so be prepared to add “embrace change” to the top of your agenda.
A starting point
You know that planning the year ahead will help towards your professional development: the dawning of a new era has renewed your determination to succeed and this refreshing perspective must be harnessed while it’s still there. Thinking about your goals is a good start, but only by putting these thoughts into writing will your career plan influence your development over the year. Without a written reference, your focus can all too easily become lost in the daily tasks that you’re required to complete and your aims can lose direction.
Your career plan should begin by listing what you would like to achieve this year. Choose whichever method suits you – if you like spreadsheets, make a spreadsheet where you can organise the steps in your career plan against specified dates; if pen and paper is your thing, get yourself a notebook to record your goals, achievements and all of your career ideas.
Next ask yourself where you would like to be by the end of the year. Does the company you’re currently working for meet your requirements or do you envisage new opportunities at a new organisation? The answer to this question could have a significant influence on how your career plan is shaped: if you’re seeking new employment opportunities then your CV and interview technique will undoubtedly require attention, if you anticipate staying with your current organisation, then training and perhaps illustrating your value to avoid redundancy will be key.
It is important to consider the worst-case scenario too. What will happen if you’d intended to stay put and find yourself unexpectedly looking for a new job? What will you do if you’re unable to secure a role somewhere else and have to stay where you are? Preparing for such events - thinking about them and acting before they happen will enable you to remain calm and focused when necessary.
Identifying your goals
The first step in identifying the goals that you want to include in your year plan is to understand how your achievements this year will fit into your long-term career plan. If you set a target four years ago to become senior management within five years and have taken steps towards achieving this, then your focus this year will be taking that final step towards securing that new role. If your long-term career plan was to become Chartered by a particular date then you’ll need to set goals for this year that will keep you on track to achieving this.
Get to know your marketplace. Find out about employment predictions for the sector within which you work. Are people being laid off in droves or does market demand remain strong despite worldwide economic turmoil? If the outlook seems bleak, consider whether your skills and experience could be adapted to fit in with an alternative sector. Should your career plan include identifying and developing your transferable skills?
If your main goal for the year is a promotion, when do you anticipate that this will happen? Will you need to develop your experience in your current role, taking greater responsibility for the management of others before an internal promotion becomes a possibility or will you need to work on the content of your CV and your interview technique to secure a better position with another company?
Plan benchmarks - short term, achievable sub-goals - with a timeframe in mind, allowing long enough for a natural progression of professional development. Once you have defined each benchmark, start planning the steps you need to reach them, just like you would do with your long-term career plan.
How will I reach my goals?
If you need to develop your experience in your current role in preparation for additional responsibilities, then make a note of what you will need to know more about. If you expect to seek alternative employment during the year, set goals that will help you do this, preparing and circulating your CV, brushing up on your interview technique, or making your achievements known throughout the industry through strategic networking.
CVs & job interviews
If you expect to be moving to another organisation, you’ll need to ensure that your career plan includes creating a flawless CV and perfecting your interview technique. It isn’t surprising that, during an economic downturn, companies become particularly bottom-line orientated. During such times, managers tend to assess candidates according to their ability to either make money or save money so think about which one you are and concentrate on reinforcing this – when updating your CV or during the course of a job interview.
While ‘soft’ skills remain popular within technical and engineering disciplines, it is especially important within a recession that you can give examples of your achievements. What exactly have you contributed to the projects that you have worked on? Be specific: not just at interview stage – make sure that, through effective documentation in your CV, there is no question about how you have helped towards the company’s success.
You can contact your recruitment consultant for help with creating your CV and to prepare for interviews. Treat this as part of your job search strategy: why not schedule time to contact your recruitment agency to arrange a mock interview? Before you dismiss the idea with a flippant “I don’t need to do that bit,” consider how much time this will actually take. Twenty minutes? It isn’t a huge amount of time, and if there’s a chance that it can help towards achieving the goals within your career year plan, then why not give it a try?
Training & skill development
Training and development don’t just look good on a CV. They provide the foundations on which to progress professionally, instilling confidence in an individual’s ability to perform a particular role once met with hesitation, or facilitating further understanding about a specialist function or responsibility.
If you are confident that your current company can meet your career requirements over the next year, then creating a tailored CV and preparing for job interviews needn’t be a high priority. However, improving weak areas through training (anything from basic PC skills – Microsoft packages like Word, Excel and Access, to specialist software packages, to professional development such as budgeting and project management) might be a possibility.
Sitting down with your manager to talk about future progression could also be worthwhile: setting goals, discussing promotional opportunities, agreeing on dates for performance reviews and, where applicable, discussing CPD options. This relates to Chartership too: whether you are already chartered or if you’re working towards Chartership, you’ll need to incorporate CPD into your career year plan.
Don’t forget about transferable skills either – those that you have learnt and developed in one situation that could be used in a different situation. Plan for the development of transferable skills whether or not you’ll be moving organisations this year.
Networking
That vision of a bustling function room can provoke a fluttering feeling in the stomach of the most confident individual; which could be why the value of networking is often underestimated. It isn’t just about suited professionals gathering together to swap business cards though – the key to successful business networking is to make sure that your achievements don’t go unnoticed: when you have an appreciation of your own value, other people take you seriously.
Promoting your value through strategic business networking can work to your advantage whether you are seeking new work or concentrating on building your reputation within your current company. Developing a network of contacts who can provide support, information and job leads is an ongoing process so you should set objectives by deciding what you want and making a note of your priorities.
Within the workplace, while increased demand might lead to a greater workload and you may feel as though you have little time for discussions with colleagues that don’t directly relate to the task at hand, remember that maintaining your business network, especially while you have the support of co-workers close by, could prove to be hugely valuable in the future.
Don’t forget to use your recruitment agency as a networking element too – you don’t have to be looking for a job just to give them a call for a market update: keeping in touch with someone who has so much contact with such a large volume of people within your industry will mean that you stay informed about market trends, understand the types of skills that are in demand and are realistic about rates and salaries within your sector.
What if…?
Try to avoid the “what ifs” too much while creating your career year plan. Changes to your plan later in the year may well be necessary. Sometimes a small tweak is all that is required, whereas on other occasions you may have to make significant alterations to the content: either way is fine. You should develop your plan as a directional tool, which is flexible according to changing circumstances as and when they take place.
With a clear focus for career development, the concern surrounding the current economic climate can be brought under control somewhat. Be organised and set realistic goals throughout the year that will take you to where you want to be in 2010. There will always be external influences that you are unable to control, but only you can take responsibility for your success and it’s up to you to take advantage of the opportunities that you are given and work towards achieving your career goals.
