Career planning during a tough economy calls for logical thinking. Yet it’s easy to get caught up in a swirl of emotions. You have to deal with rumors, fears and uncertainty. In my experience, the best course of action will not seem immediately obvious. But here’s what I recommend, based on years of living through economic cycles.
Begin by turning off the news. Stop buying newspapers that display scary headlines about jobs and sales forecasts. Be especially wary of news networks and programs. They have to come up with stories every day and they like to evoke strong emotion.
Journalists are wonderful people but they need startling headlines. They work on a case basis, highlighting extreme experiences. What’s happening “out there” may not make any difference to you. I talk to people every day who are changing jobs, getting raises and moving up with promotions.
