INTRODUCTION
These are tough economic times in the US and around the world, no doubt. Credit has dried up. Spending has diminished in every area. An automobile dealer said on the radio that new car sales in the US are down 40% this year.

Cascade effect…

• People don’t buy cars (maybe they can’t get credit, or concentrate on paying mortgage)…
• dealers don’t order cars…
• auto makers don’t make cars…
• new parts manufacturers don’t get orders from the car makers…
• auto makers ask for bailouts…
• you and I have bills to pay and might still need a job.

This reference to the auto industry is merely an example of just about everything else everywhere.  When money gets tight, employers scale down their workforces.  This means IT jobs and Internet Jobs.

Well, rest assured that I can relate. This IT professional has experienced many gaps in his income; the most recent since mid-November 2008.

However, there are ways to mitigate the risks.  And, having recently re-established my working status, I am here to encourage you.

BE PREPARED – PLAN FOR IT
It’s happened before, and it will happen again; in fact it is happening right now.  Just like needing to change the oil in your car or sending your mom a Mothers Day card, it will happen, but you might not know exactly when.

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Here is what I do…

1. Control spending, and save when I can.  First of all, having a job is usually necessitated by needing to have money.   When without a job, the greater the need for money, the greater the need to get a job.  Been there, done that.  Had to sell an investment house I had just to pay taxes during a time of unemployment.  Then I racked up a lot of credit card debt to pay bills.But after having graduated from Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University, I made some changes to my personal financial habits.  Last year after losing my job consulting for an international promotional products company (followed by 6 weeks of disemployment), I spent most of the rest of the year consulting for the world’s largest retailer.  The pay was decent and after paying for my monthly obligations, I was able to sock a little bit away every payday.  One of my goals was to save up and pay cash for a new roof. Thankfully I am in a little better control of my financial situation.  Instead of joining the ranks of the foreclosed-upon, I made it through a monetarily-dry 13 week period and have a little cash left.  Though my roof is leaking at this very moment and I have to start saving all over again, at least what I have is paid for and I have been able to pay down credit card debt instead of increase it.During this dry time I have had many inquiries for low paying jobs I was not interested in.  But instead of being compelled to take one and hate it, I was able to be picky and wait.  Instead, I would rather work fewer days of the year doing work I like and getting paid more, than do low-paying work I hate for idiots I don’t like.
2. The second and very important part of being prepared is branding and marketing myself.  Even when you are gainfully employed, you should be investing energy into getting your next gig.  Keep your resume and online profiles up-to-date, network with others, and see BE EXCELLENT.

BE EXCELLENT
Just like the heading indicates, go the extra mile and do a great job.  In my case, I am careful to define my role at the beginning of every engagement.  Next, I define the project – in writing.  This means that I write my own job description over and over, and that I am usually the one who writes the project charter or mission statement – even after the project has already begun.  Having a target in writing helps you hit that target.  And taking initiative will help you stand out from the crowd (this is usually a good thing, but in certain organizations will put you on the black list).

In being excellent, be sure to toot your own horn.  Mention your accomplishments and the benefits you brought to the project.  As any good salesman will tell you, it is benefits – not features – which sell.  And as a professional, it is accomplishments and contributions as opposed to activities.

BE FLEXIBLE
Sometimes you have to take a job you don’t like, or pay below what you are worth.  Fact of life.  But if you practice being prepared then you can gain the advantage.

While I would prefer to work in my own city and close to home, the truth is that for as many of the dozen or more positions I’ve worked in the past ten years nearby, I’ve worked just as many out of state.  There is Los Angeles, San Francisco, Columbus, OH, Europe, Arkansas, Cupertino, and Canada.  For some I commuted, and for others I temporarily relocated.

But, by being flexible, I was able to get the position that others weren’t – many times during poor economic and hiring conditions, put money in my bank account, and build my resume with some pretty challenging experiences.

By the way, being flexible includes getting away from the mindset of doing only permanent employment.  For some of you this might be a difficult paradigm shift.  But the sooner you make the mental change, the sooner you can get your career path retooled for a successful future.

Some of the assignments I accepted were very short.  Three were presented as “6 or 12 months that will probably be extended” but actually turned out to last 5 weeks or less.  One that took me to Madrid, Amsterdam, and Phoenix was advertised as 9 weeks and did exactly that.

The truth is, in my opinion, that contracting or freelancing or whatever you want to call it is now a requirement in the successful professional’s career mix.  More and more companies are turning to outsourcing/contracting as part of the staffing strategies while at the same time downsizing their permanent workforce.  Many times I have been brought onto a project as a consultant while at the same time the client is firing its own people.

As a side note, something to be aware of is that the more short-term entries you have on your resume, the more you will be identified as a candidate for short-term opportunities.  Just as a coin has two sides, this has its own implications.  On one hand it can increasingly raise questions by permanent employers whether you are a job hopper.  And on the other it can get you a phone call very quickly from a recruiter who needs someone right away.  A word to the wise

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CONCLUSION
Sounds simple, right?  Well it is.  But unfortunately, Simple does not always equate to Easy.  Life is not for the faint of heart.

Happy career building from The Professional Job Seeker!