5/27/2008 - Coasting on the Downturn Highway

By Faye Dresner

Regardless of what presidential candidates, housing experts, or political pundits are saying, most of us know that times are hard right now. And some of us are being directly affected. In the nonprofit sector, demand for services increases when the going gets tough. But that doesn’t necessarily translate to job security for nonprofit professionals. Sometimes organizations tighten their budgets and often that means letting people go. So how do we cope with the current economic downturn and maintain our professional sanity at the same time?


Below are some strategies I pull out and dust off to use when my professional life gets unpredictable. Consultants (like me) are experts at riding the roller coaster of job security because we live in a world of shifting landscapes, having an excess of work some times and a scarcity of it at others. Learning to adapt to change is an essential skill for us. The tools I’m sharing can be employed any time you feel your work situation is uncertain. And let’s face it, change has become the norm these days.


According to the U.S. Department of Labor, most people will be in their jobs approximately four years only. While change can be unsettling, it is also an enormous opportunity to reposition or re-educate yourself and shift directions. I’ve had the experience of being “downsized” and that’s what launched my consulting career!


Recently, an outplacement consultant I know told me that corporations are more prone to hire people who have been through a downsizing and landed on their feet than those who have been in the same position for many years. Why? According to her, it’s because businesses recognize that change is now a constant, and they are better off looking for people who are equipped to handle it and come out intact on the other side.


So whether you are considering a career change or just in a situation that feels a bit unsteady, here are some ideas for managing successfully whatever you’re faced with:

• Address those things you actually have control over, like keeping your resume up to date, maintaining your professional network, or doing an inventory of your skills and talents. Ruminating on things you have no control over is a fast way to drive yourself crazy and create a lot of unnecessary anxiety. Easier said than done you say? My technique is to make a list of all those things I can impact or do, tape it to my office wall, and then focus my attention and effort on those things. It takes discipline but it is achievable.

• Stay in the moment. As cliché as it sounds, its good advice. It will keep you from doing a lot of negative forecasting, something some of us seem to automatically resort to. Does this sound familiar? “If I lose this job/contract, I may not be able to get something else and after 3 months I won’t have any more savings and, I won’t be able to pay my bills, and, and, etc.” While it is just as likely that an outcome will be positive, most of us seem to jump automatically to the negative when attempting to predict the future (something we’re not good at anyway). Isn’t it just as likely, your situation could have a positive outcome? Staying in the moment not only builds your energy but it helps you stay tuned in to potential opportunities. So how do you do that you ask? Every time you catch yourself heading down the road to doom and gloom, say NO! out loud and bring your mind back to the present. Go back to #1 – your list of things you have control over – take a walk, call a friend, do anything but allow yourself to drown in negative thought.

• Do pro bono or volunteer work that interests you and helps you build skills, expands your network, and can put you in a position to learn about work you’re unfamiliar with. Sometimes when my business is slow, I do pro bono work at nonprofits where I might not otherwise have sought a paying contract. It has, on occasion, led to future work and always helps me enhance my knowledge and expertise.

• Give yourself a break. There are days when the anxiety or gloominess might get the best of you. Don’t beat yourself up. On the contrary, treat yourself to whatever generally makes you feel better. After I was downsized and was trying to figure out what I wanted to do next, there were days when I just didn’t have the energy to present my best self to potential employers or colleagues. So I didn’t. I called a friend or went for a long run or took a long nap and relished the fact that even though I was scared or down, what I did have was flexibility and the time to take good care of myself.

• Make a contingency plan. Even if you never have to use it, having a plan creates a sense of security. Keep your resume, your skills and your network updated and current. You don’t have to go overboard; a small amount of preparation can instill a real sense of calm in uncertain times.
  

Faye Dresner

Faye Dresner is the founder of Dresner Consulting, LLC which she started to help tap the power of nonprofits and philanthropists to affect change. For over two decades, Faye has served in director-level positions with a variety of nonprofits which has taught her that when a person finds work that is personally fulfilling and life enhancing, both employer and employee benefit.

http://www.dresnerconsulting.com
fdresner@dresnerconsulting.com