Recession-Proof Your Career

With economies around the world sputtering and unemployment in the United States climbing to 6.5 percent, public relations and marketing professionals may well be wondering if this trend is here to stay.

The promising news is that PR skills remain in demand. Human-resources expert Brendon Buthello has stated that "industries related to all sectors need public relations professionals even more during a recession, and hence PR careers and public relations jobs are actually continuing on a slow but steady rise." (Brendon Buthello, How Public Relations Firms Can Handle the Oars while Rowing a Company through Recession Waters, accessed 10.08)

The reason: companies still need to get the word out about their products and services. And stakeholders want reassurance that their trusted brands will endure. Nevertheless, PR practitioners (or anyone else, for that matter) cannot afford to rest on their laurels. Proactive employees fare better in a recession than those who simply react to altered circumstances. Here are several ways you can be proactive and, by doing so, improve your chances of riding out the economic storm.

Eight ways to shine during a recession

1. Speak up: Talk with your immediate supervisor or other higher-ups if you have any concerns about the future of the company or your career direction. Conversations of this kind reflect a sincere interest in the well-being of the company, as well as your own future. Don't be afraid to do some independent research and to ask tough questions, such as "what's being done to safeguard the future of the company and ensure continued success?"
2. Stay visible: Your instinct may be to lay low during a recession, but that's the last thing you should do. In uncertain times, you want to make your presence known by showcasing your value to the organization and being an active team player.
3. Perfect your skill set: To boost your market value, keep your skills up to date. Investment in your education, whether its earning a more advanced degree or taking training courses to stay on top of the latest technology and corporate trends, will give you lifelong skills. They will help you do your job better and make you more marketable if you should need or want to switch careers in the future.
4. Make a positive impact on the bottom line: Employers increasingly view their staff as "mini- profit-and-loss centers rather than just as employees," notes Careerbuilder.com. So, ask yourself how your projects and initiatives are benefiting the company. If they are not contributing in some measurable way, reevaluate your job-preservation strategy.
5. Network: Studies show that building rapport with past and current colleagues is one of the easiest, yet most often overlooked, ways to stay on the right track. Networking can be especially valuable in a sluggish market, so now is the ideal time to strengthen your relationship with co-workers, clients, and vendors. And given the proliferation of web-based media and digital communications, it's easier than ever before. Social networking counts: LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter are there for you to leverage.
6. Stay positive: By keeping a level head and a positive outlook, you are better able to fulfill your responsibilities to your organization. And by projecting optimism and confidence, you will be someone whom other people desire being around.
7. Prepare mentally: Since things can take a turn for the worse without warning, it pays to develop a realistic back-up plan before the situation calls for one.
8. Step up to new possibilities: When opportunity knocks, welcome it. Because you'll be in a better position to gain from opportunities if you're prepared for them, you should take the time now to beef up your résumé, look for freelance projects, and consider alternate routes for traveling along your career path. Every step you make to empower yourself is a step in the right direction.

Maintain the momentum
In periods of economic distress, there's a tendency to trim costs and extend these cuts to public relations and marketing. Experience shows, however, that in difficult times it behooves organizations to maintain a high profile. While your competitors are lowering their voices, your company can profit by keeping its voice strong and clear. With public relations and marketing budgets expected to increase or at least stay the same in 2009, are you prepared to keep the momentum going?

About BurrellesLuce
Whether operating in a recession or a boom, make sure you capture and measure all of your coverage in local and national print, online, and broadcast outlets. BurrellesLuce helps communication professionals maximize their media relations results through a full range of planning, monitoring, and measurement services. Besides delivering content, the company's online platform, called BurrellesLuce 2.0, enables clients to target and connect with journalists and bloggers, monitor the media for coverage, and measure and understand the impact of their outreach efforts. Founded in 1888 and headquartered in Livingston, New Jersey, BurrellesLuce has offices throughout the United States.