How To Recession Proof Your Career
By: Jim Weiss
The Plague Has Arrived
Section One
Congratulations, you still have your job. In spite of all the bad news that has been floating around the office for the past few months no one has yet to be fired. It’s been a difficult time for you and your colleagues. The first big scare occurred when several of the top managers in your division where transferred or asked to resign. Profits began to shrink so naturally some one had to take the blame.
Then you and your staff were told that all holiday bonuses were being cancelled this year. If that wasn’t bad enough yesterday’s emergency memo informed every one that the annual Christmas party was being moved from The Sky Top Casino to Vincent’s Famous Italian Restaurant over on Eighth Ave. The message further stated that the party was for employees only.
Before you can say pass the clam sauce rumors are flying from cubicle to board room. It’s as if the plagues cast against the Egyptians have been up-dated and delivered to your company to create havoc and panic. It doesn’t take long for you to notice that the idle chit-chat and gossip has taken on a very morbid tone. For a moment you’re reminded of the funeral parlor where poor Uncle Bill was laid to rest.
What next? What would I do without my income? How could I find another job, especially in this economy? Panic, depression, and fear are crippling productivity. The guidance and reassurance your group expected from top management never came. Some of your fellow workers are talking about leaving the company before the axe falls. Yesterday at lunch your assistant said that the current mess makes the stock market crash of 1929 look like a tea party at the ladies auxiliary. Another guy from accounts receivable disagrees then alluded to the mess General Custer and his band of courageous soldiers walked into back at Little Big Horn.
If these little analogies seem far fetched or exaggerated they’re not. Fear is spreading across corporate America right now as you read this article. Large and small companies are looking at not so bright immediate futures.
Intellectually you know that recessions come and go. That’s the nature of a free open economy such as ours. You’ve lived through recessions in the past. Statistically speaking, a forty year old man or woman has already lived through two major recessions and an “economic down-turn” as our financial experts called the fiscal problems that occurred during the early nineties, and again during the first year of the new century.
You’re worried, and rightly so. You are no longer a young adult finishing college or starting your first adult job. The responsibilities you now carry would stagger the imagination of your parents and all of your other kind relatives. For openers, there’s a mortgage or high rent to be paid every month. If you have children and dependent parents they too must be cared for. The list of financial responsibilities goes on and on. Like most Americans in your situation you to are bleeding money day after day. That’s ok as long as you are receiving a financial transfusion ever two weeks or so.
As a matter of fact, you are proud of your ability to support the significant others in your life. You’ve studied, trained and worked your way into a somewhat comfortable position at your present place of employment. It was only last July that you and your boss were discussing the possibilities of you moving into the assistant’s office so you could help him train the new staff he was going to hire to spear-head a project he was beginning in November. Now only a few months later you felt lucky to be sitting in your cubicle crunching information into your computer.
Self Preservation: The First Law of Nature
Any of you who have been exposed to survival training know that there are several basic tasks that must be immediately employed to insure your safety and rescue. First and foremost is the ability to stay calm and carefully evaluate the current crisis. Students are taught to survey their location, and then they are advised to stop what they are doing and enjoy a light snack, if possible. This simple act of self-indulgence during a crisis will help to quiet your anxiety so you can logically plan your next move.
Research indicates that the basic act of eating, sipping soda, Starbuck’s coffee or any other non-alcoholic beverage can provide a physical and emotional stimulus that triggers an over-all feeling of well-being and serenity. No, I’m not suggesting that you quiet your fears by “pigging out” on pizza or Chinese food, all I’m saying is that some light snack can help you lower your stress level during a difficult situation.
During the course of any professional survival training program participants are taught how to find their way back to safety by using all of the navigational devises available to them. Looking for familiar landmarks or following the sun or any small body of water as it winds across the terrain are just a few of the basic techniques taught during this all important course.
The next portion of this publication will show you how to navigate your company’s environment so you too can begin to recession proof your own career. Carefully complete each of the exercises provided on the following pages and you may be able to predict a layoff months before it occurs. This as you know is crucial to your emotional and financial security. Of course you realize that there is no one instrument, no matter how well constructed that can provide a total picture of your firms over all financial health.
Before going on to the next section take a few minutes to complete the following brief exercise. I’ve placed it in this portion of the publication so you can see just how irrational and exaggerated many of your fears are. As a child I was frightened by the monsters I believed were living under my bed. No matter how hard my parents tried to rationalize these fears nothing worked.
One very scary night Aunts Mary decided “it was time to end this nonsense once and for all” To accomplish this end she tool me by the hand and together we climbed under my bed to confront the monsters head on. After waiting for several very anxious minutes none of these “gremlins of the night” appeared. Case closed…I was cured of this ridicules fear.
Fear Strikes Out: The Exercise
List the fears that you associate with your present career. Please be totally honest with yourself. No one but you will have access to this material, not unless you chose to let do so. Write freely and in vivid detail. You may wish to use colors and feelings to describe your fears…by all means feel free to do so.
Fears I have about my present career:_________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
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Continue writing until you have exhausted your list of fears. When you are finished take some time to study the impact each would have on your life if it became a reality. For example, for the sake of argument let’s say your biggest fear is being laid off from your present position. Begin to counter act this fear by listing (in detail) the steps you would take to regain financial stability. Do the same for each of your other fears.
From time review your answers to this exercise. Feel free to add new fears to this list, and by all means remove those you have already resolved. Please be consistent, and know that you are defusing unwanted, negative emotions that can impair your judgment just when you need it the most.
How To Recession Proof Your Career: An Analysis of Your Company’s Financial and Emotional Well-Being
Section Two
In the spring of 1943 a young navy pilot named George Walker Bush had his single engine P-40 shot down in enemy waters. According to intelligence reports the nearest island, which was about a half mile away from where his plane crashed, was inhabited by a fierce regiment of Japanese commandos who would enjoy nothing more than decapitating young American pilots.
In spite of the tremendous odds against him the future president of our country had enough presence of mind to employ the survival skills he acquired during training to avoid capture. Unlike this young hero you are not in danger of any immediate physical harm. In fact, you are probably more in control of your environment than you realize.
To help you learn more about your company’s future as well as the current and future status of your present position I’ve compiled a list of critical areas for you to investigate. When you have completed this assignment you should have a clearer picture of just how recession proof your career is.
Study Your Company’s Financial Reports
As a bright articulate employee you have spent most of your career organizing and analyzing your firms’ business transactions. Now it’s time to take these skills to the next level by reviewing their financial reports. Whether your place is publicly traded or privately held there are documents that can give you a very clear picture of how your company is doing financially during the current fiscal year, especially as compared to the previous years. Obviously you are looking for a shrinking profit margin, and red ink.
Even if the financial records are not readily available you can still obtain this information with a little bit of effort on your part. When one of my clients was denied access to his company’s yearly statements he did a little in-house networking until he received the financial information to complete this part of the assignment. As a trusted employee and colleague you can have one or more of your associates discretely hand you the information you need.
If you are no sure how to interpret the information before you don’t hesitate asking for help. Guaranteed there is some one in your circle of friends or colleagues who can decipher a detailed financial spread sheet. Once this has been accomplished record the results. I advise my clients and workshop students to purchase a notebook for this purpose. By all means feel free to record this information in your computer.
Talk To The People In The Human Resources Department
Without being too obvious in your intentions, unless your friend works in the human resource department, employ your charm and some good old fashioned polite conversation to find out who’s leaving the company and why. There is nothing more relaxing than a cup of coffee and a couple of Twinkies to loosen tongues. As an energetic executive you are a concerned “team player” who wants to know how he can help his colleagues.
A few signs to look for in this all important area include: the good people at the human resources center are been instructed not to talk about anything concerning recently departed employees. This could be a good indication that some thing is wrong in paradise Secondly, and equally important, is the fact that your friend in this department generalizes while making vague references to several people working in your division.
As your friendly chat with your companion continues he gracefully turns the conversation to A-Rod’s batting average, and the fun he and his wife Barbara had at last year’s Christmas party at the Sky Top Casino. This is a smoke screen that should immediately send up a red flag. What is this person hiding from me? Are they afraid that any talk of lay offs will cause a panic or are they reading into my ulterior motives and just being cagey?
Take your time and record all feelings and impressions you obtained during this meeting. Please pay attention to your colleague’s body language. Did they squirm, or tighten up their face while speaking to you? Were they uncomfortable and ill at ease during your get-together? Did they whisper or scan the room as they spoke? Record all of this information. Leave nothing out, no matter how unimportant it may seem to be. Remember we are trying to compile a comprehensive picture of your company.
Who’s Playing Musical Chairs
The scenario goes something like this: when you walk into your office on Monday morning Bill Johnson has replaced Mary Bogan. To make matters worse this lovely young executive is no where to be found. Immediately you begin to think the worse: “she’s been laid off or transferred to our office in Siberia. Am I next on the list?”
Several days later Carry Miller has been replaced by Steve Grunberg. It’s as if she too has disappeared off the face of the earth. This adult version of musical chairs is repeated at least four more times during the next month. More people are being replaced or assigned elsewhere. Those in charge have yet to make any comments on the situation. One can only guess what fate has befallen your former associates.
At one of your division meetings you over hear two top executives complaining about how they must continue shouldering responsibilities for old positions in addition to handling their new ones. Take your time with this section and don’t be afraid to ask questions about people who no longer work at you office. Some one knows, and someone is always willing to talk.
Listen To The Silent Message
Every corporation, regardless of its’ size, has a unique culture. There is always an under current of gossip and rumors that are constantly circulating from Mary Beth’s cubicle to the guy who delivers lunch from Wang’s Diner. There is virtually no exception to this rule, not unless you are working as a cloistered monk living in some remote corner of the forest.
To be quite frank, with the above exception, people enjoy talking about each other. My own personal experience as a career counselor and as a college professor verifies this theory. To successfully complete this phase of the exercise you must constantly keep your “ear to the ground” This means listening to gossip, and the not so private telephone and cell phone conversations that continue throughout the day.
In particular, pay extra close attention to information about fellow employees who have been terminated. Were the people in question laid off or did they leave for other reasons?
Years of experience have taught me that even the most far fetched piece of gossip has some shred of truth to it.
Equally important is the prevailing mood of the people you are working with. Back in the late 1980’s CBS was nearly paralyzed by rumors of pending lay offs. The mood became grim, and then fear began replacing good judgment. It wasn’t long before many loyal employees became resigned to losing their jobs. In a matter of weeks productivity dropped through the floor. Many employees took early retirements or began looking for other safer positions. Once this happened “all the king’s horses and all the kings’ men couldn’t put Humpty Dumpty together again,” at least not until a new management team took over.
Here are a few more questions to mull over as you work on your company’s profile:
- Do your fellow employees appear to be more nervous than usual?
- Are the people at your firm worried about losing their jobs?
- Has the absentee rate risen recently without any out side variable?
- Have you or any other manager noticed a drop in productivity?
If you take the time to listen to them and their fears you will begin to get a more complete picture of what you are up against. On the other hand your investigation could prove that their fears are unsubstantiated. The mere act of talking to your employees and colleagues can very well have a calming influence on these lovely people. If my educated guess is correct it won’t be long before every Tom Dick and Jane in the company will be coming to you for comfort. Who knows, you may well become well-known for your kindness and concern.
Contact Men and Women Who Have Recently Left Your Firm
A well meaning call to those who have recently left your firm can produce a wealth of valuable information. It’s almost guaranteed that some where during the conversation the person on the other end of the line will let you know why they left the firm. By all means be patient and let them vent their anger at one or more of their bosses. Once you have waded through this verbal assault you may well have a clearer picture who is leaving and why. Repeat this process with other recently terminated employees and you
could be looking at a pattern that indicates that the lay offs have already started.
What’s Going On At Your Competitor’s Ranch
If you have been working at the same position for at least two years there’s a good chance that you have made contact with people at your competitor’s company. It’s safe to assume that one or more of these people will hold similar positions to yours. Invite several of these men or women to an informal lunch to discuss the latest innovations, or any thing pertinent to your careers. Naturally as the afternoon wears on one of you will begin talking about your companies plans for the future.
Sit back and listen as your guest begins to open up to you. People will naturally do this, especially if they believe you are facing similar problems. Of course you are mentally noting any thing that can give you a window into his company’s financial well-being. As previously stated, you are here with good old Fred for only one reason: to learn more about who’s being laid off at his place. Every thing else is secondary.
Contact Your Company’s Vendors
Every company needs office supplies and materials to produce their product or service. As an employee of your company you or some one working with you can easily obtain information the amount of money being spent on every thing from facial tissues to computer systems. Your firm’s financial reports will most likely provide some of this information, but to create an accurate company profile you must go one step further and contact the vendors your company deals with on a regular basis. This part of the project is much easier than it sounds so relax and get to work.
You are interested in several key indicators that could spell financial trouble for your employer. Here’s a guide you might find helpful:
- Has your company changed their spending habits in the past six months?
- Is this part of a plan to scale back on spending?
- Has your accounting department been late in paying their vendors?
- Have several of the vendors lowered your company’s crediting rating?
- During your course of your interview has one or more of your vendors asked you to help them reconcile a pass due account?
Above all, don’t be afraid to ask one of your company’s suppliers why they’ve reduced your firm’s line of credit . This could very well be a warning sign you’d like to know about.
It’s Time To Talk To Your Boss
So far you have gathered quite a bit of information about the stability of the company. Your research does not indicate that layoffs are on the horizon, but you’re still not sure what lies ahead for you and your career. What’s next? It’s time to have a friendly chat with your boss.
Before setting up a meeting to discuss your current and future status at the firm it is wise to remember a few basic rules. First, your manager has his or here own agenda, tons of responsibilities and problems. It’s best to remember that this over burdened executive is also concerned about his career. Here are a few suggestions on how to create a win/win situation with the man or woman who could very well hold your professional future in their hands.
- Select a mutually agreeable time to hold your get-together. Never ask for an immediate appointment, not unless there is a fire in the office.
- Plan for a time when the bulk of his work has been completed. Late Thursday or Friday afternoons is usually a favorable time for meetings of this type.
- Suggest a place away from both of your offices. The company’s dining room or lounge is perfect for informal/friendly get-togethers.
- Have light refreshments such as coffee and cake served. This, as previously stated, tends to relax people, especially if they have been on the go all day.
- Keep the tone of the meeting friendly as you express your concern for layoffs. Be sure to include your colleagues in your conversation. You wouldn’t want to have your boss see you as anything but a team player.
- Don’t pressure your boss for an immediate answer. Remember the old adage:”never corner a rat.” Excessive behavior could put an unwanted strain on your relationship.
- Listen carefully and show a concern for his point of view. Give this person a chance to express their feelings. This could very well turn into an anxiety reducing session for the other person, especially if you seem to be genuinely interested in their welfare.
- By all means, don’t ask for another meeting to cover the same topic, not unless he suggests it. Your concern for your career has been duly noted. Chances are that your manager will keep you informed of any new developments.
- This informal give and take session can very well lead to a warmer trusting relationship with the other person. This, as you well know, can enhance your status at the firm.
Above all, your supervisor is impressed with your honesty and loyalty to him and your organization. You can almost guarantee that your concerns will be discussed at the next meeting with his boss.
It’s Greek To Me
As they are fond of saying in military circles: “some times you never hear the bullet that gets you”. To illustrate this quote let me tell you a brief story with a very strong message.
Several years ago, one of my clients was being very seriously considered for a senior level position with a major corporation. This gentleman had devoted twenty five years of his life helping to make his company’s brand a household name. Bob worked nights, weekends, and he even cut a much needed vacation short so he could develop the format for an important meeting.
My client was the fair haired boy who could do no wrong. He was a shoe-in for the executive vice president’s slot. Bob’s wife went so far as to order new carpeting and an antique mahogany desk she had been waiting to buy for a very special occasion. The board of directors had voted favorably on his new position. Bob ordered two new suits and some shirts to celebrate his promotion.
Two days before he was to assume his new duties the president of his division called him in for a “friendly chat” as Bob later called this meeting. During the course of this brief get-together my client was praised for his loyalty and devotion to the company. Once the social amenities were out of the way the president removed the smile from his face and informed Bob that profits were down and his position could no longer be guaranteed.
Several minutes later the corporate financial officer joined Bob and the president. Both strongly suggested that this hard working executive take a pension package while they could still offer him one. It took Bob quite a while to recover from this blow. We worked together on his career development for several months and I am happy to report that he has secured a vice president’s slot with one of his old competitors.
Is there a moral to this story? Of course there is. As a matter of fact there are two morals. First, you may never see a layoff coming. Some times there are no clues to let you know that pending doom is upon you. Secondly, and equally important, is that statistically speaking you will, in good times as in bad, secure another job within three to five months that will equal or surpasses your previous one. There will be more about preparing for layoffs in the next section of this publication.
Here are several more critical areas to look into before completing your company’s profile:
Is Your Company Being Sold to Another Larger Firm?
Are Both Executives and Staff Being Coerced Into Taking Early Retirements?
Is The Company Cutting Back of Pension Contributions and Other Benefits?
Are Jobs Being Done By Employees Now Being Out-Sourced?
How Recession Proof Is Your Current Position: A Profile
Now you are ready for the final exercise in this section. Using your responses to each of the previous statements and questions you are to write an analysis of your company’s financial status, especially as it relates to your current position.
Here is a sample report you can use as a guide.
I had a difficult time understanding the minute details of my company’s financial reports. To be sure I was getting an accurate picture I asked my accountant to review this document with me. The CFO of our firm was slowly paying back a large loan for capital improvements. The privately stock held by the officers and their families had fallen ten percent during the last two quarters. After competing his review of the financial records Bob believes that the current cash flow, and credit rating of the Taylor Insurance Company is excellent, and layoffs will not be necessary during the next fifteen months.
According to our human resource people the big problem currently facing their department is how to quickly implement the new benefits package before the beginning of the fiscal year. When I brought up the subject of layoffs none of these hard working people knew what I referring to. Bill simply said “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Stop reading the Wall Street Journal it’s making you too paranoid.”
I spoke to several people who had recently left Taylor Insurance. Each was corporative and had a valid reason for resigning or transferring. Ann Borenstein left because her husband was being transferred to Chicago, and Mary Bogan went to London to be closer to her dying aunt. As far as I could determine no one was forced to leave or laid off.
Aside from buying several new computers and office furniture for the accounting department Taylor Insurance has been very consistent in their spending patterns. The Royal Paper Company informed me that over the past twelve months my firm has spent twenty five percent more on office supplies. The agent for this company also volunteered the fact that my company’s payments have always been ahead of schedule, and their credit line had been increased to three million dollars. This is very encouraging news.
Three of our vendors told me that as far as they were concerned Taylor was an excellent client who they looked forward to working with for many years. A personal observation: while speaking to these same vendors I got the distinct impression that they were wondering why I was overly concerned about my company’s ability to meet their financial obligations.
Last Friday I had lunch with Steve Gordon, the managing director of the Premium Insurance Company. We both report directly to the Vice President in Charge of Sales. Jerry, an executive with another insurance firm, joined us for coffee later in the afternoon after finishing a meeting with several of his key people.
BY 4:00 we left the restaurant promising to meet again in another five or six weeks. Both of these men were cordial, and did not seem to be concerned about layoffs. Neither their body language, nor the tone of their voices indicated any thing different. My conclusion is that neither of these men or their colleagues expects layoffs in the foreseeable or distant future.
On October 28th I asked Ross if we could get together to discuss the status of my current position. Our relationship has always been warm and friendly. It was Ross who brought me in from the Mega Assurance Company to work as his assistant. After spending several minutes talking about our golf game and the kids I turned the conversation to my career and how it would be affected by the current down-turn in the economy.
Ross smiled and told me that he was going schedule a meeting so we could talk about this very topic. He assured me that my position as his assistant was secure. “You can stay with me until you decide to leave.” That was my mentor’s response to my fears. “We may all be working harder, but no one is being laid off. If necessary, we will use attrition to down-size. Let’s keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best. Do you like the chocolate cake? My wife made it especially for today’s meeting.”
In the final analysis the information I obtained about the Taylor Insurance Company does not indicate that a layoff for me or any of my associates is likely to occur during the next fifteen months. Although I do not plan to jump ship I am carefully weighing my options. To play it safe, and test the waters I scheduled a meeting with the Milton Search Firm next month.
How To Recession Proof Your Career
Section 3
Preparing For A Layoff
To recession proof your career you too must plan for a layoff. The most obvious place to begin is with your cover letter and resume. This, as we all know, is the link to a financially rewarding career and professional fulfillment. Never for one moment assume that your resume is perfect the way it is. It should be continuously be updated. Every new achievement, award or promotion must be carefully listed on this all important document.
I’ve spent countless hours helping my students and clients create powerful resumes and cover letters that glow with achievement and success. You must also accomplish this without sounding like an advertisement for a new Chevy Malibu. Before reading any further I want you to understand one very important point. A prospective employer will only spend fifteen to thirty seconds scanning a resume. That’s it. What does this mean? You have only a few seconds to impress this person.
Let’s begin with you cover letter. One of the main purposes of this document is to give prospective employers a brief overview of your accomplishments and qualifications for the position you are applying for. Address this letter to a specific person. A call to the company will connect you with the right person. By all means be sure to apply for a specific position. Don’t make the employer try to figure this out for himself. He’ll probably dispose of your resume in ten seconds or less. Use bullets to highlight your achievements and background…and never make a cover letter longer than one page. If you do, I promise you it will not be read, especially when this person may be wading through dozens of other resumes. Your cover letter has another equally important purpose… to get the prospective employer to read your resume.
While creating your resume ask yourself: what makes me unique? Why should some one hire me, especially now in a down economy? Recently one of my clients came to be for help with his resume. It was ok, but something was definitely missing. It was like a pizza without cheese…you know what I mean.
I instructed him to do something different, something that would make a prospective employer take notice. I told him start his own professional newsletter that could easily duplicate and handed out to friends, colleagues, and of course any prospective employer who was looking for an innovative assistant. Yes, it works, and it cost less than thirty dollars to produce your masterpiece. This helpful little newsletter will jump off your resume and say “pick me I’m different.”
Think of the value and education you could be adding to your company by creating an in-house newsletter. By all means let other people help you with this project, but you are the one who devised this educational tool. Keep it simple. Four to six typed pages would do nicely. You will be the one to write all the feature articles. The proofing and picture taking could be delegated to one of your staff.
Here is another check list for you. Before mailing out your cover letter and resume please perform the following tasks:
- Use only high quality copy paper preferably one that has a watermark. Cheap paper looks and feels bad, and will easily wrinkle.
- Never fold your resume or cover letter. Mail them in a white 9×11 envelope. It’s easier to be scanned into a computer this way, and your letter arriving in a large white envelope will attract the right type of attention.
- Have some one proof read your material. If this is not possible proof it yourself by reading it from the bottom up to the top. By using this technique you are more likely to find typos and other errors.
- Keep a record of where you have sent your resumes. When called for an interview you want to know who is contacting you and for what position. Several of my clients lost the chance for an interview because they couldn’t remember why they applied to a specific company.
Start Marketing Yourself Now
It’s never too soon to begin marketing you and your skills. Over the last forty- five years we have become a “word of mouth nation” (please feel free to use this expression). Believe it or not President Obama used this very same technique to help him win the election. Without blowing your horn let the people in your orb know what you’ve accomplished at your present position. There is nothing wrong with this as long as you don’t sound like a used care salesman.
I am constantly reminding my clients the time to start networking is now, not when you need a favor or a new career. If you haven’t actively started a networking campaign, do so now. Here are a few tips I’ve collected over the years. No, you’re not going to be walking around with your hat in hand. This can be a win/win for all those who are involved.
- Start a list of “professional contacts”, then begin meeting with to discuss mutual concerns and of course more contacts.
- Join one or more professional or social organizations. These groups usually have meetings and informal get-togethers where get to know other people in your field.
- Write an article or present a lecture of interest to people in your field.
- Host a conference or have your company do this. The publicity is great and chances are you will make some new contacts.
- Always carry business cards with you…there is no exception to this rule. My daughter Christine once found one of mine in a library book. The person had obviously used it as a book mark.
A Case Study In Networking
My business associate and dear friend Jim Greico, President of the Greico Financial Training Institute, is a master at networking. I have successfully used his techniques to help my own clients and students connect with potential employers. Armed with his business cards Jim boards the X1 Bus near his home in Staten Island. Before reaching his office in Manhattan, he has already spoken to three strangers and handed out at least two of his business cards. A quick stop at the local coffee shop and Jim hands out several more of his cards to people he meets while waiting on line. He could easily have his secretary make coffee, but as Jim says: “going into the deli every day gives me a chance to network and meet new interesting people.”
At least once a week Jim attends Wall Street conferences, informal get-togethers, parties with potential clients or any one even remotely associated with his business. A trip to the supermarket or any other store for that matter, is an additional opportunities for Jim to hand out his business cards and talk shop.
Every February Jim and several members of his staff attend a large conference in Florida. Not being content with just meeting new potential clients Jim produces a lavish Broadway review that is the highlight of the three day conference. Does all Jim’s time and effort pay off? Take a walk through Wall Street one sunny day. Stop and ask any one you meet if they have ever heard of the GriecoFinancialTrainingCenter. They will give you the answer to this question.
It‘s Time To Take A Stand
You have diligently analyzed your company then produced a well document, first hand account of the current climate, and how it relates to you and your career. After studying your detailed report you have come to the realization that you are not in any immediate danger of losing your current position.
Of course, as I pointed out earlier in this publication, there is always room for doubt. The bottom line is that you really enjoy working for the Taylor Insurance Company. After being here for more that ten years it feels like home. You’ve laughed, wept and played golf with half of the people in your division. The decision is made. You are going to stay and put all of your efforts into producing more revenue for your division.
You have gone so far as to have your group draw up a new set of priorities and goals. Once these are reached you will begin developing another list, and then another. You begin to think in terms of over-kill, staff motivation, and extended work hours for you, and your key people. It doesn’t take long before your boss and some of the other major figures in the company begin to notice the difference in you and your work. Some will rally around your new dedication; others will continue working at their own pace.
Will this guarantee your position at the firm for the next ten or fifteen years? No one knows. The important point here is that you have taken a stand which sends a clear message to all of those who are working with you.
I can think of no better way to end this article than to mention that this last approach to navigating your career through troubled waters can drastically change the way you see yourself, and the people you professionally interact with. Hundreds of my clients, as well as me, have spent the major portion of our careers in “over-drive.” People like us are serious, driven, and in most cases very dependable employees as well as friends you can count on.
A publication by:
James R. Weiss
Copyright by: C+B+R Publications
Staten Island NY
