I recently saw an interesting question posted by Jason Alba of JibberJobber on LinkedIn. It was:
Do you think these economic times (recession, etc.) will change the way we think about jobs and careers?

My take on this is that these economic changes will fundamentally change nearly all aspects of the economy AND economics; industries, government policy, corporate structure, and more will be different. But from a job/career perspective, I believe they will probably just accelerate the need to manage one’s career constantly vs. “only when I need a new job.” This was the theme of the very excellent book Career Distinction by William Arruda and Kirsten Dixson.

But the real question for me is: will this really change the majority of people’s actions?

Both effective career management and finding that next job is really made of four components: laser focus on the “core you” (personal brand), networking, timing, and serendipity (luck). The only two things that people have control over is finding that core “you” (strengths, talents, key value adds, etc.) and networking.

The more focused you are on what you are good at and want to do, the more directed your career path will be, not to mention how passionate you will be in engaging with people on “your life’s calling.”

The more you network, the better chance you’ll have to be in the right place at the right time, while increasing your probability of finding that next job.

But in reality, how many people actually 1) do the self exploration necessary to find their personal “core,” and 2) spend the required time to actively network BEYOND their current company/job sphere.

In 10 years, when this crisis has created new economic theories, restructured government/industry policy, and created new industries and Googles, will people’s actual behavior have changed that much when it comes to their career? Probably not, but I do think tough times bring out the best in people, and for those that have the career intelligence to take control and make these two behaviors a habit, good things are in store for them.

They will definitely emerge stronger.