Slacking Off For the Holidays - Not a Good Idea - Instead Position Yourself For a Promotion

It's been a tough year. Bank collapses, mortgage foreclosures, and job losses add up to major stress. How we cope with the stress can have far reaching consequences for our careers. Psychologists say that the fear of the unknown - not knowing if your position will be cut - actually can cause more stress than getting a pink slip.

One method of coping might be to back off the intensity and drive you put into your job and just try to chill out for the holidays; to regroup, take time off with family and friends, and enjoy holiday parties. While it is healthy to put the job aside and have a life outside of work, it could cost you a big opportunity to move ahead in your company. Many companies, which have cut their workforces to the bone, will start hiring again after the first of the new year. Why let these new hire positions go to outsiders when you could be perfectly capable of stepping up your game and taking on added responsibility and the corresponding salary increase? Not to mention that if your company is still weeding out people they believe are not valuable contributors, you could find yourself on the chopping block.

Stress can be deadly. It weakens your immune system and can lead to all sorts of related physical illnesses, and even depression. To fight stress and the fear of the unknown, stack the deck in your favor. Become the go-to person in your company. Volunteer for new assignments, gain exposure to other departments through internal company networking, and find and nurture a mentor relationship - with someone who can help you navigate the corporate minefields and get you face time with more senior executives. Mentors are not hard to find - most are found right under your nose, someone you know you can go to for tough questions or help in completing projects. Since your boss provides day-to-day support it should be someone out of your direct chain of command to truly give you impartial advice. Just ask if this person might have time to meet with you and provide some guidance from their experience. Many executives are willing to share their knowledge and experience by taking a more junior employee under their wing. Be sincere and always thank them for their time and you will be amazed at how willing they are to advise you.

The more value you add to your job and the more indispensable you become, the less likely your position will be cut and the less stress you will experience. It can be a self-fulfilling prophecy - not only easing the job-related stress but helping you land a promotion as your company begins hiring again.

Once you have positioned yourself as described, then let your hair down for some well-deserved holiday down time feeling secure in your career. One caution, always be professional at holiday parties - you never know who might be watching!

Richard S. Pearson is the Author of 5 Necessary Skills to Keep Your Career on Track. He has held vice-president positions with four multibillion dollar travel industry companies and three Internet early stage companies. He has a BA degree from Regis University in Organizational Development. His experience has given him a unique perspective on how to navigate the organizational structures of both large and small companies. He has hired and trained hundreds of employees from frontline salespeople to vice presidents, and coached many through their careers. He is currently working on facilitating the large increase of travel between the US and China, which is taking place. http://www.5necessaryskills.com

Make Your Move - Get a New Job Or Promotion Now, As Companies Begin Hiring Again

We've hit rock bottom, or soon will, in the job market. Yes, layoffs will continue into 2010 before the unemployment numbers start dropping, but smart, well-managed companies have already begun to prepare for the upturn. If you work for one of these forward thinking companies, you better start to jockey for position to replenish management ranks, as they bring new people on board to fill vacant and expansion positions held over from the deepest recession in decades.

This is similar to the wisdom imparted by a good stock market advisor, buy low and sell high. As we know in the market, many investors jump on the bandwagon trying to catch waves already cresting, then end up selling on the down slope. Companies have shed almost seven and one-half million jobs since the recession started, kept inventories at minimal levels, and stripped advertising budgets to the bone. They must now reposition themselves to take advantage of the economic upturn - even though the jobs piece of the equation is still on a somewhat slippery slope. This presents a great opportunity - in the trough of the jobs market - to advance in your career by riding the wave as recruitment begins in earnest.

Now is the time to gain maximum visibility in your company. Volunteer for new assignments, process improvement committees, to assist other departments, charity drives, even the holiday party planning team. Position yourself as the "go to" person in your department or division. Network within your company, with your manager, mentor, or any other connection, that you are ready for more responsibility. Update your resume and highlight your skills and experience, which have prepared you for more challenge. Why should your company's management look outside the organization, incur recruiting expenses, have questions if someone will fit into the company's culture, etc. when you are a proven asset? But it is up to you and your allies in the organization to communicate this. Your boss, her manager, your mentor, and others you interact with should be enlisted to sing your praises. Ask other departments, human resources, and your boss to keep you in the loop on jobs before they are even posted - to give you the first crack at them.

If your company does not have near term growth prospects for you, begin looking outside. Now is the time to re-evaluate your skills, education, and experience to begin the search for your dream job. Will you require some intermediate steps like going back to school for an MBA or other course work in your field? Do you need more experience in a particular discipline before you are qualified for your ultimate job? At the same time, evaluate if this dream job in a field that is expected to continue to have above average growth in the coming years? Will it require a move to another part of the country? Do you have enough savings to make a move - since many companies have cut down on relocation reimbursements? All of these questions need to be answered as you take proactive steps to move forward down your career path.

If the chosen profession has limited growth and therefore upward movement, it may be time to look for a position in another field where your skills and experience will also apply. The US Labor Department has forecast the highest growth occupations through 2016, and may help you in your decision of where to look. Network systems and data communications positions will grow by over 53%; personal and home care aides by 50%; home health aides by almost 49%; computer software engineers by over 44%; and veterinary technologists by 41% to name a few. This information can be found, as well as fast growing cities, on the Bureau of Labor Statistics Web site.

A few words of caution - do not ignore any of your current job responsibilities as you look ahead, down your career path. And for heaven's sake don't tell co-workers you are looking elsewhere, as this will spread like wildfire and could damage chances for an internal promotion. Do your research away from the office, on your own computer and phone, and schedule interviews or meetings over lunch or take a vacation day.

It is up to you and only you to seize these new career opportunities, whether inside or outside of your current company. Timing is in your favor, before companies announce their expansion plans and flocks of transitional workers begin tossing their resumes into the hat. Pick up a copy of my new book to walk you through the process. Go for it!

Richard S. Pearson is the Author of 5 Necessary Skills to Keep Your Career on Track. He has held vice-president positions with four multibillion dollar travel industry companies and three Internet early stage companies. He has a BA degree from Regis University in Organizational Development. His experience has given him a unique perspective on how to navigate the organizational structures of both large and small companies. He has hired and trained hundreds of employees from frontline salespeople to vice presidents, and coached many through their careers. He is currently working of facilitating the large increase of travel between the US and China, which is taking place. http://www.5necessaryskills.com