You are here: Home / 2008 / Archives for September 2008

Recreate and Diversify in a Recession

By 1 Comment

If you want to live and thrive through a recession and not just survive as a either a fence-sitter or blanket sulker, then your best bets today lie in being creative and in your knack to diversify quickly in the areas that have positive cash flow. And for this the first step must be to do a smart and time-efficient research to identify areas where there is present and urgent requirement and demand, either in terms of customer satisfaction or at your present workplace.
In most situations you might not need reinvention – but recreation and diversification can most certainly help to turn around the tide to your advantage.
Just to clarify further – by ‘recreation’ I do not mean that create a solution or product or services completely new or from scratch, but how well you can put together your old solution in a new packaging which fulfils the needs and budgets in the trying economic scenario.
Read on to see what I mean here and why it is beneficial to your professional growth in a recession….
and I would love to see your suggestions on this topic – please comment to share your ideas on how you see renovation, diversification and re-creation can help during recession.

An Employee/Worker on Diversification
As an employee or a worker put your efforts towards ingenious diversification of your skills at present work. Diversification will work best for you if you can manage it. Learn to manage your career during recession but always be aware and ready to move on when required. If your skills are in certain areas where you can freelance – go for it. It is quite similar to in saying that diversifying your financial portfolio helps to save better; it is at times good to diversify your skill set. Always aim to learn a new skill every year and in such times you will see that reinvention and recreation will come easily

An Entrepreneur who Re-creates
As an entrepreneur check on which products and/or services satisfy the needs of customers – recession or no recession if you have something that the mass needs, you can create a positive cash flow. Check on the sustainability and practicality of your idea (products or services) and analyze if people are cutting back costs in certain areas then which other areas is their investment channeling to? However don’t completely abandon ideas if you see that the trend is only temporary and with some good news from the economic sector money will be tricking back in through that service or product. It is time to diversify and look for alternative paths which help you flourish– don’t be the one who just lies down and waits for such economic crisis to pass by.

Do not assume in the first place that customers will not buy once they begin tightening their pockets and budgets. It is time to offer and market other services or products which could be squeezed in their budget – yet again an example of intelligent refurbishment of your offerings through customer satisfaction and need analysis.

It is not the give up and put your feet up, recessions and economic slowdowns perhaps make us more aware of our spending and expenses. And also gives us the time to reinvent and diversify – these could be the best strategies to thrive during the economic storm and also adds to your contribution towards bringing the economy back on its feet.

Related Posts:

Managing your Career during Recession
Best Jobs to have during Recession
Post Layoff 5 Step Successful Comeback Plan

Careerbright – Career Article and Information for Professionals and Working Women
Share
Filed Under: Career Self-Help, Job Search, Layoff, Work Smarter Tagged With: , , ,

My Stress My Addiction

By 2 Comments

In a very interesting book by Debbie Mandel titled Addicted To Stress – A Woman’s 7-Step Program to Reclaim Joy and Spontaneity In Life – the present day working mother will find herself staring at that large uncomforting magnifying mirror but one which provides some solution to the stressful life that she is living now managing her career, family, house chores and her never ending to-do list.

Debbie says, “Women today carry massive responsibilities of family, household and career… When you find yourself rushing from activity to activity, doing chore after chore, with no personal time for yourself, the problem isn’t the external worked that’s landing on your doorstep; rather, it’s your own need to constantly open that door and welcome stress into your life!”

Well, many of such mentions seem all too familiar, when I was growing up I used to watch time pass; now I have to literally hold on to that ever supersonically fleeting time. The hours in the day are still the same it is only that we have packed in too much in doing our best to squeeze as much as we can out of a minute.

And as Mandel points out that once we start loving our to-do lists and living in future, we get addicted to stress.
In this book you’ll read about the various scenarios and tests on whether you are addicted to stress or not. Some you may agree with some you may not, but even if you have a few of the variety of emotions and symptoms mentioned in this book it is worth a read and you’ll find yourself nodding once and many times.

Debbie Mandel offers seven proven steps to help women overcome daily stressors and reclaim a life of joy and spontaneity. The steps are:

  • Be aware of your own stress addiction
  • Reclaim your identity
  • Learn to becomes a healthy narcissist
  • Build a healthy body
  • Cultivate your sense of fun and humor
  • Jump-start your libido
  • Reframe your thoughts

A good read for sure, even If you take in a couple of solutions that the book offers it is good enough if it helps simplify your life in some way or the other. The book was on my doorstep today evening and I devoured it up in a few hours, after all there are so many other that have been sitting on my bookshelf for long and I never got time to read or review them, they are down there on my to-do list.
Well, someone just said that you love your addictions! And we find ourselves more and more entangled in our own spun webs.

So all you stressed working moms out there, get this book at Amazon or just borrow and read when you find time.

Related Posts:
Stress Management for Working Women
In the Quest of a Satisfying Life and Career
Is a Career Woman Happier than a Stay at Home Mom?
Is the Second Income worth it?
Live As If You Don’t Need a Vacation – Guest Article
Top 5 Reasons why you want to Work Part-Time

Careerbright – Career Article and Information for Professionals and Working Women
Share
Filed Under: Career Self-Help, Career Woman, Work Smarter Tagged With: , , ,

Do Recruiters Accelerate the Job Search Process?

By 6 Comments

Well, the answer is – it depends. Many recruiting agencies have a had a wonderful track record of having many satisfied customers over and over again whereas some who have had a not-so-good experience would always say “beware of the recruiting agencies”.
You might be visible only to a smaller section of jobs available while working with a recruiter. I have heard of at least one case where the recruiter was non-cooperative to the candidate once it got to his notice that she was approaching companies and contacts on her own. But of course it is up to you to discuss your and his/her expectations upfront before committing to the relationship. The recruiters can fall in a fee dispute of the job seeker gets the position on his/her own.

The recruiters work on fees and commission basis. No, you do not have to pay anything upfront (however note – some recruiters do charge job seekers) in most cases the employers pay then when you are hired and stay in the job for at least one year or so. So of course if you are a suitable candidate the recruiter will work hard on you and with you to find the right job for you – after all his/her income depends on how many he/she can successfully place. If a recruiter asks for money upfront from you, it is a good idea to first question them on why and also ask for some referrals on successful candidates they have worked with. Research well before you go in for the recruiter relationship.

Why would you need a Recruiter’s help?

  • If you are not confident on how your resume presents today, a recruiter might help you in critiquing and updating your resume to the desired industry level.
  • If you have shaky interviewing skills, the recruiters might help you get some interview training done through a career consulting agency or person career coaches. It actually helps a lot to make an effort to polish you interviewing skills, after all interviews are your gateway to the job. Even with a great resume and attractive skills, an interview eventually makes or breaks your chances of getting that job.
  • You have been in the job search for long and some help and advice can encourage and motivate you to action. A recruiter, career coach and career consultants can be of help to you now. The recruiter has had an experience of being in the recruiting business for long (so some reputed firms with experienced recruiters is what you should be looking for) and can present a good picture of the present hiring market – well, to counter what I say here, there have been many instances where recruiters have painted an untrue picture to keep the job seekers in their list and that is where the disgruntled testimonials come from.
    Recruiters have an inside scoop on the advertised jobs which you might never see, so going for a recruiter when times are tough might be a good idea.

How to know of the Recruiter is the Right one for you?
Check out if the following is happening in your relationship with the recruiter:
Is the recruiter;

  • Scheduling personal one-on-one meeting with you to discuss your requirements and inform you on the job search process or just working on your resume and approaching jobs that fall in your keywords bank?
  • A good listener? Is he/she paying attention to your needs first rather than imposing on what is the right way to approach the job search process. Usually we do expect a good recruiter to have good peoples skills, it is not about how good he can update your resume but more on how well he can work with you.
  • Communicates expectations upfront and is honest.

The recruiters must also specify on the confidentially statement when working with a job seeker. Read some more tips on an honest recruiter on Monster columns.

Also some good tips are here on the videos at jobing.com.

Some very helpful articles:


Share
Filed Under: Job Search, Layoff Tagged With: , , , ,

Leaving Wall Street – The Major Job Losses that follow Bankruptcies

By 1 Comment

The depressing news of the market crashing and the investment giants wiped off the charts has increased the anxiety of the impending job losses and where will it all finally end. How many job losses could result of such bankruptcies is yet to be seen but for sure there will be many who will be out of job in the coming months. In the past bankruptcies and mergers have sent many heads rolling and in these tougher economic times things could get worse. Here is a short compilation from what the major news agencies are forecasting and what is already on the way.

CNN Money reports:
With thousands of Lehman workers preparing to pack their bags, experts say other Wall Street firms probably aren’t done with layoffs either.
“Most people are assuming that they’re out of a job at Lehman Brothers,” said David Schwartz, head of executive search firm DN Schwartz & Co in New York. Schwartz said he wouldn’t be surprised if upwards of 20,000 Lehman workers lose their jobs. That would amount to more than 75% of the company’s total workforce
When Bear Stearns was acquired by JPMorgan Chase earlier this year, about 9,000 workers, or more than half of Bear Stearns’ employees, lost their jobs – many of whom are still looking for full-time employment.
“Unfortunately, we’ve not seen the end of the layoffs on Wall Street and I think it’s going to get worse before it gets better,” Schwartz said.
Other experts also said the worst is yet to come. Between now and the end of the year, “the Wall Street layoffs are going to be enormous,” according to Bernard.The International Herald Tribune has a dismal headline on today saying “Lehman’s demise will flood an already crowded job market”. The article says: Headhunters and consultants said the U.S. financial services sector, already suffering from a glut of unemployed talent after shedding more than 100,000 jobs this year, must now brace for as many as 50,000 more.
“The résumé flow will start on Monday like there’s no tomorrow,” said Michael Karp, chief executive at the executive search and consulting firm Options Group in New York. “This is seriously going to impact compensation this year, across the Street and all over the world as well.CNN Money reports
“Lehman Brothers employees, which totaled some 26,000 as of the end of June, were seen carting off their belongings from corporate headquarters in midtown Manhattan as early as Sunday evening. Still, company officials at either Lehman or Merrill provided little indication about how many jobs would be lost as a result of Monday’s announcement.
Wall Street firms have lost close to 10,000 jobs, or more than 5% of the work force, so far this year, according to the latest figures from the New York State Department of Labor.”

Impact on the Global Workforce
Debacle of a large economy often sends out the ripples through the world. The global economy today is very much entwined together and every continent will see major job losses when the Wall Street goes nose diving.
The Banking Times of UK says:
Investment bank, Lehman Brothers, is reducing staff numbers by around 5%. It is understood that the bulk of the 1,425 job losses will be made throughout the bank’s US operations. However, Lehman Brothers has its European headquarters at Canary Wharf and London will come second to the US in terms of job losses. The bank has not ruled out the possibility of further jobs losses in the City, should Europe follow the US into a marked economic slowdown.
Though not specific how many layoffs are impending through the year, it certainly is a bleak scenario for many in the industry.
Times fo India reports on massive job cuts in coming future:
If market estimates are anything to go by, what’s happening in the global financial markets can result in the loss of as many as 20,000 to 25,000 jobs in India. That means, the likes of Cognizant, TCS, Infosys, HCL, Wipro and Satyam will announce huge lay-offs over the next couple of quarters. TOI had reported last week that Satyam was already planning a substantial workforce reduction.
Share
Filed Under: Employment News Tagged With: ,

Careerbright’s own JobBoard – Work Flexible

By Leave a Comment

Careerbright launches it’s first online job board.
Powered by SimplyHired’s job search engine, search for jobs right here from the blog.
Visit CAREERBRIGHT’S job board and start your job search today.
If you are looking for flexible jobs in your area, then careerbright’s job board is for you!
If you are hiring, you can post your jobs here as well.

Careerbright – Career Article and Information for Professionals and Working Women
Share
Filed Under: Job Search Tagged With: , ,

The Hill is always Steeper for a Career Woman

By 3 Comments

No, this post is not about Hilary Clinton or Sarah Palin. No doubt they have been high up on the ladder and are finding it tough to reach the highest rungs and there have been many around the world who have been there; this post is about the daily struggles of a career woman and what she faces on an average day in her struggle to hang on to the ladder.
September 7th is Working Mother’s Day (Oh yes, I got to know about it recently too), it is time to pay tribute to all working mothers you know and realize that is tough being one.

Recently a couple of my friends have left full time office jobs after struggling with work life balance with two kids at home. It is not uncommon to see such a scenario all throughout the globe these days. And of course comebacks to the workplace are also on the rise as women realize that their ‘job’ at home is well done when the kids grow up and not as dependent as during their infant/toddler stages. I emphasize here again; Women have a major role in shaping the society and the future, if the employers have to help in building a better future for us all the power of choice in employment must be available to every working mother. To attain freedom and satisfaction in life– flexibility at work and family life is a must.

This post is an inspiration from a recent article/discussion on BBC
.. an excerpt here:

How can women break the “glass ceiling” at work?
The number of women reaching the top of their profession has fallen, according to a new report. Do women still face discrimination when going for top jobs?

Research by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) found that the number of women holding senior posts in areas including politics, the law and the media has fallen. In 12 of 25 job of the job categories looked at there were fewer women in the top jobs.The commission blames the culture of long working hours and inflexible working practices for discouraging women who want to work and raise a family. TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said that a “firmer approach” is needed to help women reach the top on merit.

Some very interesting comments are here and it sure is a relevant discussion. One that resonates with my thoughts was, “Rearing children is a full time job, being top dog is full time plus…”

As we have discussed before on this topic it sure is a personal decision whether to be a career woman or not and it is certainly not a debatable topic on who is right; it is a matter of personal choice and family requirement. However I feel that many women feel ‘confined’ or ‘unproductive’ being a full time homemaker and need an outlet to their creativity and talent, the best choice for women who want to have it all would be a part-time job that satisfies then being at work and doing what they love to do and also contributing to the finances of the home and enjoying the freedom to be with kids when need them the most – either at the infant stage or at their teens.

Quoting an article in CNN here:

Job or family first?
Women like Freire often struggle with balancing professional and parental obligations, says Steven Nock, professor of sociology at the University of Virginia.
“We haven’t quite figured out how to arrange our lives so that both partners are working full-time and still have time to have a family life,” he says.
Nock found that wives rated their marital quality as higher when husbands were the primary earners, according to a study published in 2006 that he co-authored. Notably, he says, their dissatisfaction was due to the lack of time they had to devote to their children.
“Since most parents still give the female most of the responsibility for family care and child rearing… (it’s) difficult for the women working full-time to manage what they want to do as mothers,” he says.Elise Ackerman in an article in the San Jose Mercury News quotes a new research from the Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology and Stanford University.

The study, which sought to determine why there are so few high-ranking female engineering managers, found women face the greatest barriers to advancement when they are in mid-career. Based on a survey of 1,795 men and women at seven unidentified hardware and software companies, the study found that “advancement in today’s high-tech workforce culture can come at the cost of family and health.” Another survey found that 52 percent of women trained as scientists, engineers or technologists left their jobs. To retain more technical women, the Borg study recommended that companies offer more flexible schedules, as well as opportunities for professional development on company time.

 

Well I did say this post is now about Sarah Palin or Hilary Clinton but just cannot refrain from commenting on a recent article on Wall Street Journal titled “Let’s talk about Palin’s Family Challenges” by Katty Kay and Claire Shipman. They say here, “We want to work but we also want quantity time, as well as quality time, with our children. most of us no longer buy the onwards-and-upwards drive to the corner office (or in Mrs. Palin’s case, the West Wing) at the cost of a fragmented family like.”. Oh well agree many women do not want it but the ones that we want to see on the top positions have to have “something else” than the woman next door. We are not demanding super human strengths from those at the West Wing but of course they have and do rise above the natural call of the family life to contribute more to the nation.
For those others of course we want balance in life having more time with family but you have to keep in mind the word “balance” it is not about having it all it is how you match your priorities at present to your lifestyle and choices.

How do you feel about being a career woman and what would be the best balanced solution for you?

Related Posts:

Why Women MUST Work
The Choice and Freedom to Work on a Flexible Schedule
Balancing Career and a Growing Family – Can a Working Mother make her Life Easier
Is the Second Income worth it?
Is a Career Woman Happier than a Stay at Home Mom?
Healthy Neighborhood Connection Helps a Working Mother
Flexible Work Schedule for Women
Best Companies for Working Mothers – How do you define the “Best” here?

Careerbright – Career Article and Information for Professionals and Working Women
Share
Filed Under: Career Self-Help, Career Woman