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Be Prepared: Steps to Creating an Emergency Career Action Plan

Do you have a plan to recover when the worst happens?

By Abby M. Locke, IMDiversity Special Careers Contributor

In today’s business environment, any responsible company has a disaster recovery plan that provides them with a clear plan to follow in the event of an emergency.

What if you can apply that same concept to your career? With mergers and acquisitions, repeated layoffs and cutbacks, guaranteed job security is something of the past.

Picture this for a moment: You are a top performing employee and have been at your company for more than ten years. However, while your record speaks for itself, the company is losing money and needs to layoff employees. And guess what? You are among the first ones to get let go. After recovering from the shock and disappointment, true panic and even depression starts to set in.

Now imagine the same scenario, but instead you have an updated “career recovery plan”. Once you accept the realization that you are involuntarily unemployed, you refer to your plan and start following the outlined activities and tasks.

This month, I will provide some quick tips on developing a ready-to-use action plan to help you survive layoffs and downsizing. An updated career recovery action plan will help you land on your feet and get back to work. The main strategy behind having this plan is to be proactive and not reactive in your career development.

While this plan may also work for jobseekers who are currently unemployed, its primary purpose is to help those of you who are very satisfied in your positions to prepare for the worst. Don’t wait until you are in a crunch or tight situation to pull together a job search plan because most likely you will settle for any position out of fear and panic.

EMERGENCY FUNDS: If you are fortunate to have a well paying job, don’t blow all your funds on non-essential material items. Don’t get me wrong, nothing is wrong with enjoying the fruit of your labor, but always save for a rainy day. Make it your goal to have enough money to cover your basic expenses for three to four months.

KEEP RESUME UPDATED: One of the key documents you will need in your job search is your resume. Make it a practice to always have your resume updated to reflect your recent responsibilities and accomplishments. Don’t miss out on an opportunity because your resume has not been revised since you started the job. (Fiction: Contrary to widespread belief you resume does NOT have to fit on one page – especially if you have years and years of experience.)

CAREER MARKETING PLAN: Routinely browse the Internet to identify job boards, company websites, industry publications and professional associations that advertise the type of positions you would be interested in. If you are laid off tomorrow, you want to have a clear idea of where to start sending your resume.

MAINTAIN VIABLE NETWORKS: It should be no surprise to you that over 80% of jobseekers find new employment through networking and not traditional job search methods. Of course, if you are continuously fostering positive relationships with industry colleagues, friends and even family members, they would be willing participants in your job search when you need it the most.

INDUSTRY TRAINING OR CERTIFICATIONS: If your company is willing to sponsor or co-pay for industry training, certifications or conferences, take advantage of the opportunities to learn more and expand your networking contacts. Being proficient in the latest programs and technologies will increase your marketability to potential employers.

CHECK YOUR REFERENCES: You may have a list of professional references that you used many years ago. Try refreshing your reference list with three to five colleagues or peers who can better comment on your work performance and personal attributes from today’s perspective.