Up Your Career Prospects in a Down Economy (Part 2)

Part 2 of “How to Up Your Career Prospects in a Down Economy.” You can read Part 1 here.

Make the Switch

Lorne Epstein, CEO of Inside Jobs, a Facebook application that helps people find work, thinks that now, even as the economy is on the decline, might be the perfect time to find your dream job. “Go for the job of your dreams now,” Epstein says. “Even if you take a part-time internship with the employer of your choice, you can start to build relationships with folks where a full-time job might become a possibility.”

But dream job or not, for some, taking an unpaid internship is out of the question. However, Epstein’s point about now being a good time to explore is valid. Many experts suggest that a financial crisis is the best time to make a major change. And in certain cases, this kind of change is necessary.

“Right now, for a lot of people, finding a job is about weathering this financial storm,” shares one Nashville, Tenn., CEO. “Nobody likes change, but sometimes you have to make difficult decisions in order to survive.”

Some of the changes he mentions include moving to a new city, switching career paths, going back to school, and yes, even taking a pay cut. “What people have to remember is that this crisis won’t last forever. So do what you have to do to keep your head above water. And you never know, the change you end up making might be the best thing that ever happened to you.”

Lauren Milligan, host of Chicago’s “My Dream Biz” radio show, says that every job seeker should look for new ways to create opportunities. “I call it the ‘Vertical Job Search,’” Milligan explains. “The smartest job-seekers know when to re-brand themselves. And they do this by using the same set of skills that they utilized in other positions. If you were an accountant in your previous career, can you teach? Perhaps you could teach a class at a community college or trade school.”

Milligan also suggests freelance work and consulting as possible ways to search vertically for opportunities. “When you consider how your skills can be applied in other areas, the opportunities multiply,” she adds.

CONSIDER THIS: Becoming a freelance designer worked for Tyler Jenson. After he lost his job as a church creative director due to budget cuts, he put his social networking into high gear and the freelance opportunities started pouring in. “I was scared to death when I lost my job,” Jensen admits, “but a friend of mine told me that I should start using Facebook and Twitter to advertise my design skills to churches and ministries. I started doing that, and now I have more work than I know what to do with.”

Have Faith

Not having a job can be a scary reality, especially in a fragile economy. Even the most dedicated Christians can fall prey to feeling panic, fear, and insecurity about the future.

“It’s a scary time for an individual,” says Matthew Costner, pastor of Valley View Baptist Church in Nashville. “Uncertainty leads to fear and that fear can paralyze us at times. That’s why I always remind people who have lost their jobs that God is not absent in their situations. He’s involved. We read about His involvement throughout Scripture all the time. That doesn’t mean He will make the experience easy or that He promises us the jobs of our dreams, but He will be faithful to walk with us through our difficulties.”

In other words, God may not be in the door-slamming and window-opening business, but He takes care of His own. And that’s definitely hope for anybody who’s looking for a job.

Recession-Proof Your Career

If you’re thinking about changing career paths, you might consider one that weathers economic storms. According to HotJobs at Yahoo.com, these five career avenues are always in need of employees:

1. Education: Since people continue to have babies, there will always be a need for more teachers.
2. Energy: The world is running out of oil. And now, there’s a race to see who can come up with the best alternative.
3. Health Care: As long as people continue to be born, get sick, and eventually die, there will always be a need for health care.
4. International Business: Love to travel? Speak a foreign language? The Global Economy might be your spot.
5. Environment: Whether you believe in Global Warming or not, “green” is likely to be with us for the long haul.