The Career Clinic Offers Advice for Recession-Era Career-Changers

Change Careers? Find My Dream Job? In a Recession? In a Word — Yes

A recession might seem like a strange time to think about finally pursuing your dream job. You know — the thing or things you gave up as impractical when you chose that career as a banker, financial analyst, or middle manager.

But then, given that few careers are secure right now — why not? Every pile of ashes has its Phoenix, so why shouldn’t you be able to rise from this recession with not only an intact income, but with restored dreams as well?

That’s the message of on-air career coach, journalist and author Maureen Anderson. Anderson, whose online and on-air program “The Career Clinic” airs at Noon Central Time each Saturday on a number of radio stations across the country, has generously agreed to share some of her expertise with our readers, offering the following answers to my questions:

Photo courtesy Maureen Anderson

Positive Impact of Recession on Those Who Are Still Employed

Q. Your book (aptly titled, “The Career Clinic”) and radio show concentrates on helping people find work they love, not just tolerate. What kind of responses are you getting to your message, particularly on your show, now that the country is going into recession?

A. People seem more interested than ever in how they make their livelihood. Some of us appreciate our jobs more than we did, say, a year ago — if only because we’re more likely to know someone who’s out of work–so we’re finding more to love about the jobs we already have.

Many more of us have a renewed commitment to doing our best, so when people spend money with our company, they’re pleased with the product or service we provide. All of this will make it easier to find a job we like even more, when we decide the time is right.

Career Change — Voluntary or Otherwise

Q. Are there specific benefits to making a career change during rough economic times?

A. I think the current economic climate encourages us to ask, “What do I really have to offer? What am I good at, and love doing, that people need — and will pay for?” Those are great questions regardless of what’s in the news. But I think what’s happening sharpens our focus and increases our sense of urgency about work.

Career change is more likely to be forced on us during a recession. And even though it’s difficult to weather, many people look back on getting fired, for example, as one of the best things that ever happened to them. Why? Because it gave them time to consider other choices, something they’d never taken before.

Special Challenges During Recessions

Q. In addition to the potential for financial insecurity, are there any challenges for career changers that are specific to economic downturns?

A. If it’s your choice to look for a new job, you might get less support from people. “You should feel lucky you have a job,” I can almost hear someone saying right now.

The challenge is to remember the fear beneath the comment, thank the person for caring about you — and still go do what you need to do.

It may make it easier to remember that’s their story, not yours. And of course if you’re supporting a family with your income you might have to go heavy on the reassurance — and, okay, proof — that things will be just fine.

Handling Bad News

Q. Are there extra steps or precautions that people who want to follow their career dreams need to take at this time?

A. That’s a great question! As a writer I’m looking for work every day of my life, so I identify with the job seekers I’m trying to inspire. Only yesterday, perusing a news magazine, I started feeling the fear I’ve been hearing about but not personally experiencing.

Decision time. “Do I dwell on this? Or do I put the magazine down, and work even harder today?”

Use what’s happening as a test of your focus and your commitment to a better life. I think that’s more enjoyable, by the way. It’s much easier to change something about your individual situation than it is to process what’s going on in the news.

Try not to decide in advance what the events of the day will mean to your situation. You might come through better than ever — it depends a lot on what you do with the uncertainty.

You may or may not be able to do anything about the health of your stock portfolio right now, but you can do something about your health, the value you give your employer, and the time you spend with your family. Take good care of yourself and try to stay open to the possibilities that uncertainty brings, and use available time to learn or update skills.

Maureen Anderson and her syndicated show, “The Career Clinic.”

Q.How long have you been doing your show? What is your background/how long have you been counseling people about their careers?

A. I’ve been doing an audio vignette version of The Career Clinic for ten years, and recently launched it as a talk show on AM 1100 “The Flag” based in Fargo. I’m a journalist, not a career counselor, and I approach the work as the student who’s learning along with the people who are listening to my show. But I have a passion for helping people find work they love, and live without regret.

Maureen Anderson’s syndicated show, “The Career Clinic,” airs every Saturday at Noon Central time on The Flag. You can find radio stations that carry the show, and much more at her Web site.

Career Clinic: the Book

From an Amazon customer review:

If you learn by stories, this career book is for you. From failure to success, from boredom and burnout to passion, Maureen Anderson has captured stories of people who took the road less traveled, and oh what a journey they are on!

This book reads like armchair adventure, because it is. You can learn how to get the courage to walk away from a job which is getting you down and onto an uncertain career path which will put a smile on your face.

From her years doing radio interviews on The Career Clinic, Anderson has gleaned eight guidelines that her successful people have followed, and these eight rules of career success are the divisions in the book.