My recent post, “Ghosts of the Economy-Casualties of this Silent War” offered a sobering look at both the personal and societal impact of the economic situation. The comments from the readers were fascinating and in some cases, even more haunting than the post itself.
While the crystal ball that I use for forecasting is horribly foggy, my gut tells me that even as the economy begins to turn the corner, job growth will range somewhere between non-existent to painfully low and slow. This bodes poorly for the millions of displaced professionals unaccustomed to being on the wrong side of the employment roll.
Real World Insights from Some Displaced Professionals:
I had a chance to chat with a number of recent and not so recent additions to the ranks of unemployed professionals, and to a person, they reported experiencing a range of emotions, most particularly, an uncomfortable feeling of helplessness, and in one case, an increasing sense of futility.
The individuals also agreed that the fight for economic and mental survival is a two-front war….taming the internal demons and turning what one described as creeping lethargy into action.
We discussed coping strategies, and here’s the list of very compelling suggestions offered up for anyone uncomfortably thrust into the role of formerly employed. If you or someone you know is dealing with this challenge, you might want to pass the ideas along. (Note: I’m not a job search advisor, so these strategies are above and beyond your nearly full-time work to find employment.)
Strategies to Avoid Becoming a Ghost
- Physical labor is good…but, you can only work on the house or yard for so long. Get it out of your system in the first few weeks …set a deadline and then get back to work on professional pursuits.
- What I Did on My Summer Vacation: sooner than later, establish a strategy that will allow you to comfortably explain what you accomplished/did/learned that showcases your capabilities. The suggestions were great.
- Write something and publish it: write an article, write a book, start a biz or proff’l blog, write guest blog posts.
- Exercise your brain…a lot: Take or teach a class
- Get current: update your credentials through courses and CEUs.
- Read everything you can get your hands on about the latest and greatest in your field.
- Be heard. Guest speak. Opportunities abound in classroom and association settings.
- Get current with technology. If you do not understand Twitter, blogging, LinkedIn and RSS, then it’s time to catch up.
- Volunteer. There are many that can use your help.
- Keep leading. Apply your management and leadership skills to a big project at a nonprofit, your church or one of the schools in your community.
- Stay goal driven: set goals for tangible output…i.e. two blog posts per week, one article etc.
- Investigate a life change. A number of people are so fed up with the risk of a corporate life that they are interested in taking their risk a different way…through franchising or by doing something entrepreneurial.
- Work out. Fitness supports mental health. Work out daily to burn stress and improve sleep.
- Coach or cheer. Take in your children’s events and feel great about being there!
- Thank your spouse/significant other often. Oh, and stay out of their way. No moping around the house.
- Network, but learn to recognize the difference between constructive and wasteful networking.
- Choose your coffee buddies carefully: don’t hang out too much with other unemployed professionals and when you do, keep the discussion positive and forward looking.
- Find a kindred spirit or two and hold each other accountable to moving forward.
The Bottom-Line
This one’s going to hurt. The days of hundreds or thousands of applicants for a typical opening are not going to end soon. A healthy frame of mind supports action and vice-versa. Remember, this too shall pass. Since none of us no how long however, waiting is not an option. Keep moving and stave off your metamorphosis into a ghost. You’ll come out of this a different, and perhaps new and improved professional.
Excellent piece. I’m seeing some of this first hand.
[…] From Management Excellence: 18 Ideas to Avoid Becoming a Ghost While Between Jobs “I had a chance to chat with a number of recent and not so recent additions to the ranks of unemployed professionals, and to a person, they reported experiencing a range of emotions, most particularly, an uncomfortable feeling of helplessness, and in one case, an increasing sense of futility. The individuals also agreed that the fight for economic and mental survival is a two-front war….taming the internal demons and turning what one described as creeping lethargy into action. We discussed coping strategies, and here’s the list of very compelling suggestions offered up for anyone uncomfortably thrust into the role of formerly employed. If you or someone you know is dealing with this challenge, you might want to pass the ideas along.” […]
[…] From Management Excellence: 18 Ideas to Avoid Becoming a Ghost While Between Jobs “I had a chance to chat with a number of recent and not so recent additions to the ranks of unemployed professionals, and to a person, they reported experiencing a range of emotions, most particularly, an uncomfortable feeling of helplessness, and in one case, an increasing sense of futility. The individuals also agreed that the fight for economic and mental survival is a two-front war….taming the internal demons and turning what one described as creeping lethargy into action. We discussed coping strategies, and here’s the list of very compelling suggestions offered up for anyone uncomfortably thrust into the role of formerly employed. If you or someone you know is dealing with this challenge, you might want to pass the ideas along.” […]
[…] long, and exhausting. But don’t give up. Instead, keep your goals alive. Art Petty came up with 18 ideas for how you can stay alive and thriving during the hunt. Here are three things you should […]