Turbulence is life force. It is opportunity. Let's love turbulence and use it for change.
– Ramsay Clark

A recent YouGov poll from the UK’s Trade Union Congress says more than one in ten workers lack confidence in keeping their jobs for the next twelve months. There is a lot of uncertainty out there, but it’s not all ‘doom and gloom’ with some analysts stressing that redundancies are not the answer and that Companies in all sectors could benefit from thinking creatively about how they reward and deploy their employees as alternatives to redundancies. Julie Blunt takes a look.

Regardless of which point of view you agree with, the workplace in the UK is certainly a lot more ‘jittery’ than it was a year ago.

So, how can you make sure you are as prepared as possible to weather the economic storms which may affect your workplace? How can you proactively manage your career in turbulent times? Here are some top tips for ensuring that whatever happens, you are in the best position to meet the challenges ahead.
 
Develop clear career goals
Even in tough times, it’s vital to remain focussed on your overall career goals. If you don’t have any, then take time out to get really clear on your long term aspirations. What do you want to be doing – which profession/industry? Who do you ultimately want to be working for – a large corporate, a small organisation, or for yourself? What’s important to you in your future career? This will give you a clear destination, and help keep you motivated - even if you have to take some unscheduled detours along the way. 

Keep learning
Nothing is more vital in times of change than to keep learning. Make sure you’re up-to-speed on current thinking in the communications industry. Develop new skills that may be useful to you in the future – and which relate to your career goals. Consider personal development which could help you be more personally effective and develop your interpersonal skills. If your employer can’t fund you, be creative and find low cost ways of developing yourself. Use your library to access relevant books and articles, volunteer for project work which could help you develop new skills etc.

Stay close to the business
If you’re in touch with developments in your organisation and industry, you will be much better placed to spot career opportunities as well as to predict the changes that are likely to happen. Keep abreast of changes in the marketplace, with your customers and with your organisation strategy by talking to your business leaders, reading trade papers and networking with colleagues around the organisation – particularly in customer facing departments – to find out what’s happening ‘at the coal face’.

Build your network
Having a network allows people to be in the know when employment opportunities come along. By developing strong work relationships with people you have worked with in the past, those that you have met through professional associations, and even head-hunters, you remain visible. And don’t forget about your friends and family. Not only may they be able to help you find a new opportunity, they can also provide much needed support and encouragement to enable you to stay focussed and positive.

Make good use of ‘down time’
Many communications departments are now reviewing budgets and as a result deciding not to pursue some projects that were previously taking up much of the function’s time. If this affects you, make sure you are planning in time during the ‘lulls’ to develop yourself, keep in touch with what’s happening in your organisation, and come up with ideas for developing the department strategy for the future.

Get noticed
Actively look for opportunities to increase your visibility within the organisation. If you’re attending a high level presentation, plan to ask at least one question. Offer to take the lead on high profile tasks and activities – and then deliver! If you’re staying with the organisation, you will have demonstrated your capability to move onwards in the organisation and position yourself for the future. If you don’t stay, then you’ve increased your credibility with your business network which could prove vital in the coming months.

Enjoy work anyway
So while you’re working on your career, how do you deal with the insecurity in the meantime? They key is to enjoy your job despite the uncertainty. By doing this, we become more efficient and even reduce the risk of losing our jobs. One way to do this is to talk to colleagues about the situation, but instead of moaning about things you can’t control, try just focussing on those things you can influence. This creates a much more positive, constructive frame of mind.

Be the change you want to see!
As a communications professional you have significant influence on how the organisation deals with challenges they face. Ask yourselves what mood you want in the company? What would be a good atmosphere to have in your department until you get certainty (which of course may never come)? Work to create this as a group. You’ll be surprised how infectious it is. And in the meantime, you’ll be in a better place to focus on putting your plans into action.

Julie Blunt

Julie is a business coach and training consultant, specialising in personal, career and leadership skills for those in internal consultant roles. She can be contacted on 07879 072337 at julie.blunt@interacttraining.co.uk This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or via www.interacttraining.co.uk.