"Create a vision and never let the environment, other people's beliefs, or the limits of what has been done in the past shape your decisions. Ignore conventional wisdom."

- Anthony Robbins

Almost every news item these days is about job losses, bailouts and stimulus packages...pretty despairing stuff. This past January, 129,000 Canadians lost their jobs; Bombardier announced recently that it was laying off 1,320 employees; Chrysler is thinking of temporarily closing down some of its plants. One of these plants, with over 3,000 employees, is in my city (Brampton). Such news is painful, and if we add that to what’s happening all across the United States, and the rippling effects being felt all around the world, we could very well be experiencing an “economic tsunami”, according to a Microsoft TV ad.

Probably you are one of those who have been laid off, or you are feeling antsy because you don’t know what’s going to happen to your job. You may be getting ready to throw in the towel and give up, but take a deep breath! Do not get too caught up into this doom and gloom frenzy. If you still have a job, find some creative ways to make yourself indispensable. If you have lost yours, then now is the time to think about other career possibilities. Below are seven career survival tips. If you are able to apply just one of them to your current situation, then you will be positioning yourself for S.U.C.C.E.S.S.:

Stop those ANTs in their tracks. Psychiatrist Daniel G. Amen refers to these ANTs as those Automatic Negative Thoughts that fill our heads most of the time...the Automatic Negative Talks we engage in day-after-day with ourselves, and with those around us. The “I can’t find a job…I am not good enough…I am too old…I don’t have the experience…nobody ever gives me a break…they won’t hire me…they already have someone hand-picked for the position”. Do not feed into the negativities of the moment. Replace negative self-talks with positive and pragmatic conversations and, regardless of how things are going, try to maintain a state of positive expectation.

Understand that ‘this too shall pass’. Understand that there’s light at the end of this economic tunnel, and that you have the resilience to bounce back. It might be difficult at first, as you may be overwhelmed and blinded by tears at this point, but depressions and recessions have come and gone and we have survived. Sometimes these upheavals happen to spark our creativity and get us out of places where we have become too comfortable. Now may be a good time to start that small business you have been thinking about, or go back to college to earn that degree or diploma you have been putting off. Look at these challenges as opportunities.

Communicate your value and your brand. Review your talents and preferences; determine what you are good at and what people say you do well, because when it comes to your job search, or your desire for a promotion, your résumé, education and experience are not enough to influence the decision of a hiring manager. You need to communicate what you will bring to the table (your value) and how to package yourself in a way that will set you apart from others vying for the same position (your brand). If you have a strong brand and you are able to articulate your value, you will attract employers, hiring managers and recruiters.

Commit to Change. It’s often said that change is the only constant and, right now, we are witnessing lots of changes. Don’t get stuck in the past and lament about what used to be, how things were done, and what used to happen ‘back home’. You have to be flexible, and learn to adapt and accommodate. One of the areas that many people are resisting change is technology. If technology is a threat to your job, or if your job was eliminated because of it, get up to speed and embrace this change because it’s not going away. Take advantage of training programs sponsored by your company, look for opportunities to job-shadow a coworker, or seek out opportunities to volunteer. Volunteering does not have to be stuffing envelopes. There are many organizations looking for people with high-level skills to join committees or boards. Companies bent on showcasing themselves as good corporate citizens are giving their employees time during the workday to volunteer. Your next break could come via any of these routes.

Experience the Difference of having Experts on your Team. “No man (or woman) is an island…no man (or woman) stands alone”. You cannot achieve your goals without the help of others, so develop your own Mastermind alliance group that you can tap into for advice. These are experts whom you admire and who will hold you accountable to what you pledge to do. You should also develop, expand and leverage your support network as these individuals will be valuable to you when you are faced with a layoff or when changing careers. Seek them out wherever they are – in or outside your company, and start now! Don’t wait until the layoff axe is hanging over your head. In leveraging your networks, remember that relationships take time to grow, so, build and nurture them at every opportunity, not only in your time of greatest need.

Spotlight your Assets. You may be feeling so overwhelmed that asking you to spotlight your assets might be too much of a stretch right now, but this is a good place to begin. It takes your mind away from what you believe are your liabilities. So, first of all, learn to write things down. Keep a journal of your goals, special job achievements, awards and recognitions received, and comments made by your supervisor, coworkers or customers. These are your assets – documented evidence that validate your capabilities and they will come in handy when you are ready to discuss a career path or brush up your résumé.

Surround Yourself with Possibility Thinkers. Surround yourself with positive, uplifting, people – ‘possibility thinkers’; those who believe in themselves and in you. Possibility Thinkers encourage, inspire and motivate you to move forward and go after what it is you want. This is where the seemingly impossible becomes possible! This is when you must move away from the naysayers and energy drainers and advance towards those who constantly remind you that “Yes, you can!”

Let’s hope there’s enough value from these tips to help you find some degree of SUCCESS as you move forward.
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Daisy Wright is Chief Career Strategist at The Wright Career Solution and author of No Canadian Experience, Eh? A Career Survival Guide for New Immigrants. She can be reached by phone at (905) 840-7039, by email at daisy@thewrightcareer.com. Visit her websites: www.thewrightcareer.com and www.nocanadianexperience-eh.com.
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