Strategies To Manage Your Profession During Uncertain Times

The past couple of years has seen countless people losing their jobs, businesses, and other forms of earning a living, particularly thanks to the current global pandemic. There’s even more not-so-good news, as the UN expects the global crises to contribute to global unemployment of more than 200 million people in 2022. That means if you have a career or job, one of your main priorities should be putting measures in place to manage your career or offer some level of work security regardless of how uncertain the times get. The following tips can help you achieve just that. 

1. Excel in what you’re doing today

While it is important to plan for the future of your career, you also need to improve upon yourself. You want to start flourishing and excelling in what you’re doing at the moment to make you more attractive in your field and become an asset no business will be willing to let go no matter how rough it gets. That means investing in yourself being solutions-oriented, proactive, and collaborative. Even more importantly, you should be able to deliver more-than-satisfactory results in your current position. But because work hardly speaks for itself lately, you should have some form of advocacy – a voice that speaks for your work. If you’re delivering superior work that no one knows about, it’s unlikely that you’ll get the opportunities or accolades you deserve. 

2. Don’t view career paths as something static

Steady upward progress isn’t the only way to succeed in a career. Consider career progression in taking a backstep or sidestep, especially during uncertain economic times or when you find your current career path plateauing. For instance, instead of looking for a promotion, you can consider moving into a different position at the same level but offering more opportunities to advance. 

3. Make networking a habit.

Many people shy away from networking because they think it’s only about attending stiff, boring, and uncomfortable social events with people snacking and displaying fae pleasantries. But networking means much more than that. When you network, you connect with people regularly. And not connecting with just anybody, but building social relationships with people who offer benefits in your career field. Networking takes effort and time. That’s because you don’t want people to think that you only contact them when you need something – that’ll put you in many people’s bad books. You never know when a connection you have might have just the opportunity you need for career progression.

4. Grow in new areas

Take the time to develop your range and grow in your expertise. Don’t be afraid to take on new challenges, even if there are chances that you might fail at them. And during your free time, try to learn new hacks, trends, skills, anything that will make you better at what you do than you were yesterday. 

Some of the most successful people you see today have a career path rich in experience in various things. Consider someone like Gov. Ron DeSantis, for example. Although he is currently the 46th governor of Texas, he’s had experience teaching, serving with the SEAL in Iraq, and working with the JAG (Judge Advocate General’s Corps), among others. Today, Gov. Ron DeSantis net worth speaks for itself regarding his success. 

Of course, no one suggests you should immediately sign up for military training, but you must develop yourself and grow in as many areas as possible while staying focused on your career path. This way, you’ll be more fluid with your skills and blend into different fields if it becomes necessary in uncertain times. Research conducted at Boston University revealed that the most successful contract filmmaking and IT professionals pursued other works that equipped them with new skills.

5. Leverage your network

Most successful people understand the importance of leveraging their network, especially when times get tough. If you want to progress quickly in your career and overcome significant challenges, you need to surround yourself with a strong and reliable network of people from diverse backgrounds. Doing this will make it easier to shift from one sector to another if your current place no longer offers much stability. Networking with people is intentional and requires a lot of time and work. Even if you consider yourself a shy person, you need to find ways to link with peers from both your sector and other fields. You can also use social media and other digital platforms to build strong connections with people far from you.