The economy isn’t perfect. At any given moment, things could take a turn for the worse. Lately, there’s been a lot of chatter about the US slipping into a recession during the second half of 2023 or the early part of 2024. And if that happens, everyone needs to prepare so that they land on their feet. Check out these three strategies to get a job during a recession.
Find Lucrative Growing Industries
Even with an economic downturn, there are still industries that will always thrive and grow. Those businesses are your best bet in finding a job, even if it’s just temporary work. Those industries include:
- Research and development
- Education
- Government
- Health care
- Food Manufacturing
- Business
You can’t go wrong with finding a job in these fields. Look through them all and see if your previous experience or background aligns with some of these available positions. You may need to adjust a few things to become better adapted for the role, but this is a great jumping-off point for anyone in need of employment.
Network Personally and Professionally
Networking will be your strongest ally during a recession. You need to get active and stay active because people won’t be looking for you to fill a position. Therefore, you need to seek them out. Job boards and open positions may start to look a little limited and vacant.
That’s not a problem. Reach out to some old connections personally and professionally and see if they have or know of some openings that could interest you. This could mean reaching out to social media friends on Facebook or connections you’ve made on LinkedIn. Even if you never had many conversations in the past, it never hurts to try and see what they say.
Expand Your Skill Set
Turn yourself into the perfect candidate. Executives and companies like candidates with plenty to offer. You need to diversify and expand your skill set, and it doesn’t take much to do so. You don’t even need to go back to school.
There are plenty of free programs online you can enroll in to gain a new skill. Get a certificate in these to show that you’re an expert. Human resources and direct hire staffing teams love to see candidates with a wide range of skills. It puts your application at the top of the list.
At The Christopher Group, we know various strategies to help people get a job during a recession, and we know what to look for in potential candidates. For more information, visit our website.