It's the Economy......

Tons of people are nervous about the economy and the growing bad news about unemployment. News of tanking financial markets and job layoffs are daily events that stir already heightened anxieties. While you probably can't do much about the big picture, you can do something about your own situation. If you are worried about losing your job and not being able to find another one in such a competitive market, I suggest that you take some precautionary measures right now.

1. Update your resume to include current job titles and specific accomplishments. This is easier to do while you are still working and have access to current data. Once you have left your employer, it may be harder to recover that information.

2. Think critically about whether there is anything that you can do now to enhance your marketability later -- this includes additional training, certifications, and expansion of job responsibilities. Although you may want to safeguard your time, you need to balance that priority with the need to present yourself as a cutting edge candidate later.

3. Expand your network. Use social networking sites like LinkedIn to connect with recruiters and other people outside your company.

4. Join a professional group. Professional associations are another way to expand your network and build professional contacts who may be able to help you later.

5. Work with a career counselor, if necessary (okay, this one is self-serving, but it's my blog.) What I have discovered through the years is that downturns in the economy have a direct impact on my practice. During the bad times, my clients often present with a greater sense of pessimism and urgency, as if they have seen the future and it doesn't look good for them. Together we craft a path that is both workable and interesting and which, despite the odds, positions them for success.

Whatever you choose to do, denial is not an effective career strategy. Rather than wait for a crisis to occur (while simultaneously praying that it doesn't happen), create a viable backup plan to protect yourself from disaster.