The current Covid-19 crisis has made it abundantly clear how vulnerable we are to factors outside of our control. It is scary to think about the impact this crisis will have on all of us on a personal and systemic level for the foreseeable future.
If you are currently on the job search or thinking about making a career change how do you navigate this difficult time period? If you are happily employed but worried about a recession how do you make yourself recession-proof?
Luckily there are effective career development strategies that you can apply today to make sure you have a better tomorrow.
How Do You Respond To A Crisis?
What do you do when a crisis hits? Do you fold and give up or adapt and survive?
In The Obstacle Is The Way by Ryan Holiday, he shares a quote from Andy Grove, former CEO of Intel, describing what happens to businesses during hard times:
Bad companies are destroyed by crisis. Good companies survive them. Great companies are improved by them.
When you apply this business analogy on a personal level it brings up an interesting question to consider, "How will you not only survive this crisis but come out on the other side better because of it?"
How Resilient Is Your Career Now?
To assess how well your career is built to survive the hard times ask yourself the following questions and give yourself a rating of 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest):
Mental Toughness: How strong are you mentally to stay focused, positive, and productive in times of crisis?
Knowledge of Self: How well do you know your purpose? What motivates you? What does fulfillment mean to you?
Social capital: How supportive and effective is your current network in helping you find new opportunities?
Financial capital: How well funded are you to ride out a recession?
Skills capital: How in-demand are your skills and experience?
Reputation capital: How well known are you for the quality of your work?
Marketing Skills: How well can you sell yourself and convince others to hire you?
Leadership capital: How effective are you as a leader?
Based on your self-assessment you have a good idea of the areas in your career development that you need to work on. You now know what your weak spots are and what you need to focus on to build a resilient career.
Strategies To Build A Resilient Career During This Crisis
For the past two weeks in the US, I've seen people and companies step up and meet the current crisis with courage, empathy, generosity, and action. It is encouraging to see them lead by example. They are not sitting this one out. They are not hiding. In fact, they are standing out in an authentic way that has them winning the hearts and minds of the people around them. Their choices and actions put them in the best possible position to survive this crisis in a meaningful way.
Here is what I am learning from these leaders.
Cultivate mental toughness.
This is not about having a "ra-ra, everything is fine" attitude. It is about being practical about what you can do now in the face of this obstacle. It is about focusing on what you can control, which are your thoughts, beliefs, and actions. It is about wanting to stay sane and productive and not letting fear and worst-case scenario thinking take over your mind. Build a daily routine that includes time for exercise, a walk, and limiting news and social media.
Think of others, show them you care.
One of the most effective things you can do to take back your power and not feel helpless or vulnerable is to take the focus off of yourself and put it on those around you; your family, friends, colleagues, team members, and clients. Check-in with them at this moment that has people feeling scared and uncertain about the future. Ask them what they need. Offer your support, encouragement, an empathetic ear. Just letting people know they aren't alone in this can be a powerful antidote to their fear and can lift your spirits as well.
Be a person of value.
What can you contribute in this moment? How can you serve? What difference do you want to make for your professional community? What solutions do your clients and customers need? Imagine being interviewed for a job one year from now and being asked the question, "What did you do during the coronavirus outbreak?" What do you want your answer to be? Make it a good one!
Create community.
While we are being forced to isolate ourselves we should be proactive about staying in communication with our friends, family, co-workers, and peers. Don't make the mistake of being alone with your thoughts and a steady stream of negative news. That will only lead to anxiety and depression. Create an online community or join an existing one to talk about your challenges and goals. From my own experience of running online coaching groups, I see that people are relieved to see that they aren't alone, that other people have the same fears and concerns, and that people are still being productive. When you see other people flourishing it gives you hope that you can do the same.
Find mentors.
In times like these, I find comfort in looking to those that can help me put things in perspective. Mentors who have the hard-earned experience of having gone through their own hard times can provide valuable lessons to help us understand how to think and act during times of crisis. Whether they are people you know, your favorite books, or people who you only follow online that you admire, collect mentors that help you feel grounded and hopeful. A good mentor can give you that sense of calm in the storm.
Grow yourself.
Replace your commute time with learning time. Remember that class you wanted to take, that skill you wanted to work on, the experience you need to get that new job? Carve out some time in your day for your own personal and professional development. Focus on skill development that could get you that promotion or step into a new career path.
Stand out. Show up. Lead by example.
Ultimately in times of crisis, it is important to focus on what you can do, focus on what is in your control, be a person of value, be solutions-focused, and take care of yourself and others. Opportunities will come your way if you are someone who is standing out, showing up, and leading by example.
CALL TO ACTION
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If you are interested in working with me to create a more fulfilling career then schedule a free consultation at MGC Coaching.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mo Chanmugham, Esq., CPCC, ACC is a former entertainment lawyer turned executive career coach and the founder of MGC Coaching. He helps ambitious professionals who are feeling stuck gain the clarity and confidence they need to create more fulfilling careers.