How to Thrive, Not Just Survive, in a Rotten Job Market

With fistfuls of companies going bankrupt, shocking unemployment rates, millions of families struggling day to day just to survive, it’s not hard to imagine that there could be a full-fledged depression lurking in the shadows like some rabid monster. But as the crumbling economy reverberates throughout the world – it’s no longer a stretch to imagine that your job could be wiped out in the blink of an eye.

And yet solving this job dilemma can be far easier than you may think.

All it takes is a good crop of basic preparatory actions.

So let me pull back the curtains and show you more.

*Dig The Well Before You Drink*

Do your due diligence on your current company. Review analyst reports; dig deep into your resources, read everything you can scoop up. Study the company website. You are searching for clues, hunting for patterns and threats that could uncover a possible downsizing or worse. Although this laser-focused investigation isn’t science it’s still the best research you can gain access to in these frightening, uncertain times.

*Boost Your Employee Net Worth*

Next you need to give yourself the jolt of up-skilling. Relax I’m not talking about going back to college.

But you do need to prime yourself so you are positioned as a white-hot prospect in the job market. (With the added bonus that you can renegotiate your current salary because you’ve augmented your value.)

Here’s some ideas to start the gears spinning for you:

o Learn a foreign language (Japanese is a sure-fire winner for most westerners)
o Dabble in a part-time course at your local college.
o Pump up your tech knowledge.
o Get on the cutting edge – If during your preliminary research you discover there is a hot new trend about to hit your industry, become an expert in it.
o Join the professional/ trade organization in your field.

By doing this, at bare bones minimum you’ll be juiced with positive self-confidence and bubbling with raw energy over your new skill set.

*The Extreme Makeover*

If it looks as though your career might be going the way of the dinosaurs, the first step is to give yourself an immediate career overhaul. More specifically you need to decide if you want to continue in the same field that you are currently in or if you want to jump into something fresh.

A good place to start is to examine your personal hobbies or interests. (It’s no secret that we tend to excel at things we like doing the most.)

Be sure to break down your expertise and focus on “soft skills” that can be applied to any industries.

Next research the companies that you’re interested in working with. Read press releases, swipe RSS feeds, visit Yahoo Finance and set up Google News Alerts by punching in the keyword of the company or industry you are pursuing.

Just get straight on this fact: Employers hire staff to solve problems.

Let me break that down for you: A hiring decision is only created when a company needs to increase the size of the workforce in order to chug out production, or when a specialized skill set is required.

Here’s a chance for to propel yourself ahead of the competition.

How?

Familiarize yourself with the most common problems that plague your elected industry…Then discover ways to solve them.

Some areas may include:

o Sales Targets
o Production Costs
o Management Issues
o Technology Challenges
o Finance Problems

The mastering of this process will put your job search or career on the fast track to glory and wealth.

Now you’ve insulated yourself against the trauma of the outside world, armed with your newly-minted skill set you’ve essentially sky-rocketed your worth.

The next stage is to slam together a resume and cover letter, assemble some new interview attire, brush up on your interviewing technique and build your networks.