Job seeking in times of crisis: tapping into abundance
Is it possible to find a job during recession?
In 2008, wanting to make a major career switch, I enrolled on a master’s degree in Energy Management, which I was confident would enable me to get a brilliant job in the area of sustainability. Things turned out very differently, however, and instead I experienced a year of unemployment at the end of my course.
The 2008-9 financial crisis was the worst economic disaster since the Great Depression and very little was being invested in saving the world from pollution. I struggled to land a job and started to doubt my career choices. My situation wasn’t much different from that confronting many people today: I eventually ran out of money, which meant that I couldn’t afford to travel, eat out or go to the gym. I spent most of my time in lockdown at home, applying for jobs I wasn’t getting. I felt lost and underwent a crisis.
Did you know that the noun ‘crisis’ comes from the ancient Greek word krisis, meaning “turning point in a disease”? There couldn’t be a more relevant topic in the current circumstances! At such a moment, the person with the disease could either get better or worse: it's a critical moment in which decisions need to be taken.
My crisis brought me to an important decision: asking for help. I found a brilliant coach who showed me how to change my way of thinking and challenge my assumptions by looking for alternative solutions to problems. In my case, to focus on the abundance of opportunities instead of the scarcity of options. I eventually found the most rewarding job I ever had, despite stiff competition and the difficult economic situation.
Given the potential for recession, we are now in an environment where there is a growing concern about whether there will be sufficient jobs. While I think that there might be less vacancies in the immediate future, I prefer to see this issue through a different prism: there is still an abundance of opportunities.
While it might feel strange or overly optimistic in the current situation, thinking positively and tapping into an abundance mindset will keep you focused on finding the right opportunities rather than settling for second best or not finding anything at all because you’ve convinced yourself that it’s impossible to land a new job right now.
Do you know who gets recruited during economic dislocations? Those who keep applying rather than giving up. If you haven’t started yet, there’s no time to lose – applying yourself repeatedly and consistently is the key to success. Trying to identify the best time to get hired is pointless. Just start searching. An organization will ramp up or scale down their recruitment based on their strategic plans for the year—not solely because of a virus.
To be a successful job seeker in this climate, you need to be calm, patient and proactive. For those willing to engage in some measured risk-taking, I would be glad to offer some suggestions. I’ll be posting my ideas for successful alternative ways to find a job over the coming weeks. Stay tuned.
