Employment Outlook: 2009
by Susan K. Maciak, career consultant and author of JOB: SHOPPING: Don’t Settle for a Job that Sucks!
Every time you turn on the news, they’re at it again! Company A lays off 6,500 employees, Business B cuts 1,200 jobs and Corporation C puts a freeze on hiring, end date nowhere in
sight. Yet there are still job openings online, in local papers and through networking or word-of-mouth.
Some outdated jobs may be disappearing, but there are new opportunities for people with the right skills. The problem today is more a mismatch between what a worker can do – and which jobs are currently available. No shoes, no service: No skills, no employment.
Almost anyone certified in health care, for example, can always find work in today’s bleak economy. Even short-term training as a Certified Nurses Assistant or phlebotomist pay off for most people.
Likewise, those who can handle math, science, computer science or have at least an associate’s degrees in human services are still in luck. Jobseekers in those fields may have to move, but they won’t starve.
Those who didn’t specialize in the right fields, shouldn’t panic. Often it’s a matter of capitalizing on specific skills already acquired through education, training or experience.
The unemployed need to identify all their in-demand skills and
add them to their resumes. Some sought-after skills that can be positioned positively in a job search include:
1. Communication Skills. In most 2009 careers, employees spend 60% or more of their time communicating (reading, writing speaking). Employable people are able to express their ability to:
§ Read / understand technical instructions, SOPs, manuals, reports, memos, etc.
§ Write technical instructions, develop presentations or make a good sales pitches
§ Speak clearly, succinctly and convincingly to small and large groups
§ Communicate customer service, company policy, mission and goals
§ Communicate with charts, graphs, computer graphics, numbers and statistics
§ Use new communication formats, such as email, blogs, social networks and other new ways to “talk via technology.”
2. Brain instead of Brawn – even in manufacturing and other sluggish sectors, jobseekers can find work if they are able to verbalize their brain power:
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Experience in using specialized software (such as Computer Aided Design)
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Experience with new types of technology (CNC, waterjet, wirecutting machines)
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Demonstrated ability to innovate, create, develop or design new systems
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Experience in quality control, using various measures and methods
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Knowledge of applied math, chemical reactions or potential hazards
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Good work output with little error or waste
3. Plan. In 2009, education is king, but a college degree doesn’t guarantee success. Solid career plans, along with good job-seeking strategies, benefit both college and non-college grads. Someone who starts working at McDonald’s (still going strong in the current economy) can move quickly from pouring coffee to supervising people or managing stores with a good career plan and a great attitude. It’s not the entry level that counts, as much as where people plan to take a job.
4. Proof of skills. Credentials, not necessarily a college degree, say it all in 2009. Short-term training with certification from a community college or technical center opens doors. Volunteer work, online courses and local training programs can make a big difference in 21st century employability. Even attending trade conferences increases the odds of being hired.
5. Continuous learning. In 2009, the savvy job-seeker takes advantage of each opportunity to learn new skills. Every attempt at updating skills should be documented or validated — then worded carefully in resumes, cover letters, job interviews. No shoes, no service. No skills, no job.
*For more on job outlooks and career planning, see cameocareer.com/job talk