In a precarious job market, you have to have eyes in the back of your head. Even the best job can become the worst job when a department is restructured, and in a difficult economy you just never know when your job could be in peril.
This means that to some degree you always have to be in job search mode. People who “keep all their options open” and stay visible in their industries are the first to recover after an unexpected job loss.
It’s always a good idea to join professional organizations—and go one step further to serve on committees or organize events. Jump on the chance to volunteer for organizations that are supported by many different companies. Say yes to speaking requests, write articles and comment regularly on blogs that tackle issues facing your industry. In a nutshell, see what’s out there and be seen.
All of this takes time—and you’ve already got a full-time job and a full-time family. Do as much as you can—and make sure that you’re networking through the absolute easiest vehicle—Linkedin. I’m surprised at how many smart and accomplished women still do not have a Linkedin profile—and how many have profiles that are woefully lacking.
Linkedin is a professional networking resource that literally puts you out there 24/7. With a relatively small amount of effort you can make people read about you and think about why they should connect with you while you’re making dinner, helping kids with homework or working out at the gym.
If you’re not already on Linked in, get on it today. Seriously. It’s free and it’s definitely the smart place to be. The people you meet via Linkedin can open up new business relationships that will advance your current job. And it’s no small point that recruiters comb this site for candidates each and every day. (It’s no joke: a seminal article quoted the president of the giant search firm Spencer Stuart who said that Linkedin has totally changed their recruiting business!)
You may not be looking for a job today, but you just don’t know what will happen tomorrow.
- Don’t assume that your job is bullet proof.
- Always keep your job search engine running.
- Use Linkedin to keep yourself in the game as a “passive” job seeker. —KAS
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