Looking for your next career opportunity?

We talk to many people daily that are looking for their next career opportunity. This can be tricky business during a recession. However, there are some clear trends that emerged during the last recession that can be applied to your search today to increase success;

• Your personal network is your greatest asset. Recruiters/Job Boards/Corporate Websites can be helpful but in most cases are a long shot. I suggest expanding your personal network on paper and working it like a full time job. This is where you will enjoy your highest probability of success and should be where you spend the majority of your time.

• Stay in or very close to your area of expertise. I can count on one hand how many successful leaders were able to secure a comparable job outside of their industry and also were able to thrive in that new industry over a period of time. Most people that decided to leave their industry eventually came back during the last recession.

• Don’t forget global companies when looking for new opportunities. With all the hoopla over off-shoring the past 10 years there have been many global companies entering the US market with new job opportunities. In many cases these global conglomerates are well funded.

• It’s OK to take a lateral move or a step back! However, be aware of the brand that your new company represents in the market place. Aligning yourself with a company that has a strong brand identity will be an asset to you when things turn around and the war for talent resumes.

• Consider consulting for a while. We have recently placed 2 executives into consulting assignments over the past 2 weeks that may result in full time opportunities. This is a viable strategy during recessions and should be considered a possible option.

• Preserve your state of mind. It will take longer to secure an opportunity and it is not your fault! In some cases, companies are purposely hiring slower to contain costs. Expect a 6 month job search and consider yourself lucky if you land an opportunity sooner. Embrace the time to do some things you always wanted to do with the free time.

Finally, be aware of starting your own company during a recession. I am a big proponent of becoming an entrepreneur but not as a last resort when corporate jobs are tough to find. If you have the entrepreneurial itch and the proper funding, now may be a great time to take that step. However, be honest that it will most likely be more difficult to succeed in a start up during a recession, and make sure you are up for the task.

How do you feel about this approach? Click on the comments section below and give us your immediate thoughts.