» 10 career mistakes to avoid during the economic downturn

Don’t assume there are no job opportunities to be had out there. It would be rash to walk out on your job without a new one in the bag right now, but there are still companies that are hiring, either to replace people who have left, to fill new positions created by restructuring of some kind, or because they’re bucking the trend and expanding. So if you’ve been thinking about making a career or job change don’t assume you’ve got to put it on hold until times get better.

Don’t be afraid of the competition. Due to the downturn there are inevitably more people seeking new job opportunities. But don’t let that put you off. There is nothing to say that an employer will choose someone who’s currently job seeking against someone who’s already in employment, or vice versa. It all depends on the individual situation, what exactly the employer is looking for, what priorities there might be in terms of speed of getting someone into place, salary levels etc. And these are things you don’t know, so don’t try to second-guess them. Treat the process of job seeking in exactly the same way you would in a booming economy. If you don’t believe you stand as much chance of landing the position as the next person maybe you shouldn’t be applying for it, as you’re unlikely to sell yourself effectively.

Get your job search right in a downturn

Don’t sell yourself short. When you’ve been out of work for a while there’s a tendency for desperation to set in. Your confidence sags, you start telling yourself you’ll never find another job, signs of desperation start to creep in. Or maybe you find it harder and harder to maintain a positive outlook, to sell yourself effectively because your self-belief has taken a severe knock-back. These aren’t the signals you want to give to a prospective employer. Work hard to maintain a professional approach to your job search. If you’re applying for jobs below your previous salary and experience level your prospective employer may assume you’ll be off just as soon as something better comes along. You will need to be able to convince the employer that you’re a serious applicant who can be a long term asset to the company, not someone looking for a short-term solution to your own problems. Think about how your additional experience could benefit your new employer. Do you have skills, knowledge or contacts that could benefit their business aside from the job you’ve applied for?

Don’t think of yourself as unemployed. There is no stigma attached: a lot of people are out of work at present, many of whom never dreamed it would happen to them. But the word ‘unemployed’  tends to conjure up negative images which is exactly what you DON’T NEED right now. Unless you’ve made a conscious decision never to do anything again with any part of your life, you’re not unemployed. You’re between one paid employment situation and the next.

Don’t just stick to traditional methods of job seeking. Use the power of the internet to research companies, vacancies and networking. Check out this article.

Don’t overlook your opportunities. Employers want committed pro-active employees who will grow their company and grow themselves within it. An employee who does the basics but no more doesn’t stand out. A downturn isn’t the time to just keep your head down and get on with your job. It’s an opportunity to show what additional value you can add – ideally at little or no additional cost at this stage. Take the opportunity to expand your knowledge and develop your skills. Volunteer for that new project. Look for ways to make yourself or your company more effective – streamlining processes, mentoring colleagues, identifying new marketing outlets. Whatever the future holds, the time you invest in these activities won’t be wasted.

Don’t squander your time. If you’re unemployed it’s all too easy to slip into bad habits, to become distracted by unproductive activities. Use the time you’ve unexpectedly been given to enhance your value as an employee. Make sure you’re up to date with your industry. Identify new skills and find a way to acquire them – local colleges may offer free courses for unemployed people, or use the internet to source information. Build up your IT knowledge generally. Use the time to research a potential career change, especially if you find there are few opportunities in your current area. Identify your transferable skills as well as researching career moves that might suit you. Explore self employment options and money making opportunities that can be followed with little financial outlay, such as using eBay to turn unwanted items into cash.

Don’t miss up on the chance to give something to others. If you’re got time on your hands between jobs, why not do some voluntary work? There are many positive benefits. Getting involved with other people will boost your self confidence. Helping others will make you feel good about yourself. You may be able to learn a new skill or gain experience in a different type of work than you’re used to. You may find new career options through the experience. You may make useful contacts. You will have something additional for your resume that says a lot about your attitude.

Don’t get out of practice. Interviews are nerve-wracking at the best of times, but even more so if you haven’t had one for a while. The only way to get comfortable with the process is to do more of it. This doesn’t mean applying for jobs just for the interview practice – that’s not fair to the employer who’s given up their time for you. If you’re between jobs there are likely to be local services you can access that will offer you interview practice. Think about questions you might be asked and what answers you can give (there are many resources, on- and off-line, to help you here). Identify examples of where you’ve applied skills like time management, targets you’ve met, value you’ve added ready to use. Use job and person specifications to pinpoint the key factors of a position and make sure you know how your past experience and knowledge relates to this.

Don’t forget to ask for feedback from your applications. Remember there is only one person needed to fill each position, which means there are more disappointed candidates than successful ones. This is natural, it’s nothing personal. But you do need to make sure you are making the best job you can of presenting yourself, so don’t leave it too long before you pick up the phone and ask for some constructive feedback on your performance. Most companies these days are more than happy to do this for you.

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