9 Ways To Build Your HR Career During A Recession
by Alan Collins
With all the distressing news about the economy, it’s hard to avoid feeling the recession blues like everyone else.
However, as an HR professional, you have two choices: You can let the market and the media send you into panic mode. Or you can view the current economic downturn as an unique opportunity to build your career.
If you’ve decided to choice the latter option, here are 9 ways to enhance your HR career “equity” during tough times:
1. Boost your value to your employer.
Many times, after layoffs, there’s a kind of ghoulish rummaging for the leftovers: newly vacant offices, the nicer furniture, even blackberries, phones and staplers. Don’t focus your attention on these things. Instead, figure out what your company may have lost in the ax-wielding, and step in to provide it.
For example, if your organization has cut the training and development staff, can you step in offer to deliver a portion of that training yourself. No one will expect you to be an expert. However, many times, during layoffs, companies get rid of HR specialists who were nice to have during boom times but too costly when it comes to pinching pennies…and would welcome providing some sort of continuity in these services. Can you replace part of the skill set that just went out the door?
If so, it might not bring rewards to you right away. But if you enhance your value to the company, you’ll be at the head of the line for a raise or promotion when things improve.
2. Volunteer, volunteer, volunteer.
Offer to head up new projects, committees or initiatives in your organization. Step up your game and energize colleagues around an important change initiative. Or invest some time in mentoring key people in the organization who may be floundering. A little time and good will can go a long way.
Can your provide HR leadership and support for emerging initiatives in your organization like environmental sustainability, green technologies, clean energy, leveraging social media, where there may be less HR support. If you can help these groups think through the staffing, talent, compensation, change managment or overall implications of their decision, you’ve added tremendous value to your organization. And if your HR experience speaks to their needs, you’ve set yourself up well when the recovery occurs. But it’s your job to take the initiative, build the bridge to these groups and make your case.
3. Focus on your building and expanding your connections and relationships.
Recessions are the perfect time to forge new connections and strengthen long-standing relationships — both inside or outside of your organization. Practice uncommon appreciation. Meet for breakfast instead of over the phone. Supplement your emails with handwritten cards and notes.
However, don’t use e-mail and social networking sites as substitutes for real relationship-building. Relationships are best fueled by face to face contact. People are your best sources of information, best advocates for your success, and best connection to positive energy to keep you going. Leverage them.
4. Form and leverage a mastermind group.
Get together with your staff or people in your network to brainstorm opportunities for thriving during difficult times. When several people get together with a blank slate and some good energy, magic can happen. Ask for ideas and you might be surprised by the results. View networks as possibilities. You can build new skills and experiences through the help of your professional networks.
5. Resolve to quickly embrace the changes your organization is going through.
Stay optimistic and be flexible and willing to look at other opportunities Do a personal attitude check and make sure that you are putting your best foot forward. One of the hardest things to do is to remain upbeat and positive when it feel like the bottom is falling out. So remain in contact with your network of professionals, friends and family to get you through the rough spots. But then, quickly get back up and start looking for new career opportunities.
6. Don’t major in minor things.
Help your company’s bottom line by communicating more with your supervisors to make sure you are focused on the right HR priorities to help the business. The key to surviving a recession is to make sure that you are delivering personal and unique value to your company.
Ask yourself some tough questions to make sure that the work you’re doing has positive impact on your company’s bottom line such as increasing revenue, decreasing costs, improving profits, cycle time and customer satisfaction. These must be perceived by your management team as meaningful results.
7. Reach out to your HR clients and ask them for feedback.
Develop a short list of questions that include ratings on your HR priorities, deliverables and initiatives. Ask specific questions such as, “How can we improve your experience with us?” Tools such as http://surveymonkey.com can help you accomplish this easily. Once you receive the survey results, evaluate them and take action to make improvements.
You will undoubtedly find themes in the answers such as, “It takes too long to get a call back” or “How can we streamline our performance management process?” Let your clients know that you heard them and share what improvements you are making as a result of their survey responses.
8. Triple the support you’ve been giving your boss.
Let’s face it, no matter how bad your boss is, I’m sure they don’t enjoy having to lay off their people. So give them a break. This isn’t the time to push for that promotion you think you deserve or to start building the case for that change title or equity increase. Obviously, this is just common sense. Beyond that, try to lighten the leader’s burden. Help him to defend your department. If he is working on a restructuring plan and asks for ideas, give him a few good ones. Do some of the heavy lifting yourself.
9. Work your plan B.
It’s important not to be naive. You (like everyone else) is just one reorganization away from being out of a job. So use social networking tools like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Visual CV, or a customized electronic portfolio and/or blog to build visibility around your personal brand and what you uniquely bring to the HR industry.
Write a blog and articles, attend industry events, make connections with movers and shakers, do field research by speaking with those doing the work you want to do, learn the HR trends and buzzwords that will make you seem like a “expert.” When you decide to make your move, you’ll be known, have a targeted Google presence, a robust network, and “walk the talk.”
Following any of these recommendations will position you well during a recession and lay the groundwork for your advancing your HR career when the recovery happens.
If you want to discover more tips and strategies to build your HR career during a recession, then download our FREE 20 page special report: “HR Recession Guide: 7 Ways To Recession-Proof Your HR Career & Avoid Losing Your HR Job” (pictured left) at: http://www.HRRecessionGuide.com.
About the Author: Alan Collins is CEO & Chief Editor, SuccessInHR.com. He was formerly Vice President – Human Resources at Pepsi where he led HR initiatives for their Quaker Oats, Gatorade and Tropicana businesses.
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