Layoffs and worries about the economy may be eclipsing your enjoyment of the holiday season—and even hopes for next year—but you can stay ahead of the game. One way to do that is by career cushioning—taking a proactive approach to explore the job market and start looking for a new job before it’s absolutely necessary.
It’s crucial to be cautious about career cushioning, though. You don’t want your employer to mistakenly believe you’re not committed to your current role, and you don’t want to get distracted or spend limited time chasing opportunities you’re not necessarily interested in. There are ways to be both cautious and active in a pre-emptive job search.
Job Insecurity and Recession Fears
If you’re feeling a bit unsettled about the future or your career, you’re not alone. In fact, 66% of respondents think a recession could cause layoffs at their organization, according to a study by Clarify Capital. In addition,
81% of people are personally concerned about losing their job.
37% of respondents don’t believe they could handle being laid off either emotionally or financially.
Potential recession is impacting the ways companies manage as well. Fully 70% of people say potential recession has impacted raises at their organization, 65% say it has impacted productivity and 61% report it’s had an effect on hiring. People are most concerned within the business and information industry (66%), the finance and insurance industry (61%) and the education industry (58%).
The threat of recession also has an emotional effect as 45% report feeling stressed, 36% say they’re scared or depressed and 25% report feeling demotivated.
Given this data, it’s exactly the right time to motivate your next steps and start career cushioning.
Getting Empowered
Fortunately, you can take action—and just by doing so, you’ll contribute to your wellbeing. In fact, when you’re stressed about something, you tend to feel happier and healthier when you take proactive steps to respond. The reason: You’re taking control and reminding yourself of the ways you’re capable of creating your own future—and these are very good for you.
When you’re thinking about taking proactive career steps, you’ll want to consider growth and security which comes from both inside and outside the organization. If you get laid off, you’ll want a strong contingency plan outside your current employer, but if your job is in jeopardy, you might also find another role internally which could be a great next step. Don’t assume security will come only from outside the company.
Being proactive about exploring career options can help your wellbeing and confidence.
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#1 – Reflect and Assess
One of the first things you can do to be proactive about your career is to reflect on your desires and assess your situation. Consider what you love to do and what you have to do in your current role. Look for as much alignment as possible. Also assess your organization. Is there strong direction and purpose provided by leaders you want to follow? Do you have an opportunity to influence? Are there clear practices which make it easy to get things done? Can the organization adapt over time? And are there opportunities to grow with colleagues you appreciate? All of these are ways to evaluate whether your job or your company are places you want to stick around.
#2 – Develop Your Network
This tip won’t come as any surprise, but how you develop your network—more than its size—is perhaps the most important consideration. Networks work best when they’re based on reciprocity. People want to help you, but they’re most motivated to do that when you’ve also helped them, or when they can expect you will support them in the future.
As you’re taking action to cushion your career, it’s the perfect time to reach out without asking for anything. You can just check in with people you respect—with no agenda—just letting them know you’re thinking of them. You can share an article or an idea with someone because you think they’d value it. You can have coffee (virtual or otherwise) just to stay in touch. The point is to nurture your network and keep it fresh by adding value for others and staying on people’s minds—and to do this with contacts who are both internal to your company, and external.
As you’re strengthening your network, be sure to cast your net broadly. A study by MIT found most of your opportunities come not from your primary network of your closest connections, but from your secondary or tertiary connections. This is because with more distance from you, people have access to information you likely don’t have—about new opportunities or emerging potential for new roles.
Volunteering and networking can support you if you need it.
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#3 – Volunteer
Volunteering may seem removed from career development, but data demonstrates those who volunteer in their communities have higher salaries and benefit from more job growth over time. In particular, a study published in Social Science Research found volunteering tends to give people a bump in their salaries and a study by the Center for Economics and Policy Research found links between volunteer work, higher wages and improved likelihood of employment.
When you volunteer, you build your skills and develop your capabilities. If you’re doing the books for the nonprofit focused on refurbishing bicycles for the underserved, you’re continuing to develop your financial and analytical skills. Or if you’re swinging a hammer, building homes for people in your community, you’re also developing team and communication skills.
Volunteer work is also great for building relationships with people who can help you along the way. The person weeding the community garden next to you may be the president of a company or the person serving next to you at the soup kitchen may be an influential recruiter.
#4 – Stay Informed
When you’re being proactive, it’s also wise to stay informed about trends, dynamics of the labor market and companies which interest you. Stay current on the industries which are growing and thriving so you know where to focus an external search if you need one. Be aware of the kinds of jobs which are in higher demand so you can build skills in those directions. And consider the areas of the country where jobs are most prevalent. All of these will help you be ready if you need to go from proactive exploration to actively looking for your next role.
The most resilient people do three things. First, they stay informed. Next, they make sense of what they’re hearing. And third, they respond, improvise and solve problems based on what’s happening and what it means to them.
If you learn the market is hot for workers within the tech industry in North Carolina, you might expand your network in the industry, sign up for alerts about jobs that become available in the field and learn more about what it’s like to live or work in the area. You might even put your ear to the ground and seek information about a new focus your current company has on digital innovation—so you can position yourself in that direction.
When you’re more knowledgeable, you’ll be more confident and able to respond and take action, but you’ll also be more articulate and impressive in an interview as well.
#5 – Be Present and Engaged
Perhaps the most significant thing you can do to cushion your career is to perform brilliantly in whatever role you have currently. Demonstrate commitment, invest energy and give your best in whatever you’re doing. Colleagues and leaders will value and respect you when they see your contribution and experience your engagement—and these will set them up to support you in getting to the next step whenever the time is right.
The Next Opportunity
Recession, layoff and job changes can be scary. But they’re less frightening when you’re prepared and when you’re making your own decisions—taking action to have not just a soft landing, but a forward bounce which will allow you to grow and develop your career in the midst of challenges.
OTTAWA – Statistics Canada says wholesale sales, excluding petroleum, petroleum products, and other hydrocarbons and excluding oilseed and grain, rose 0.4 per cent to $82.7 billion in July.
The increase came as sales in the miscellaneous subsector gained three per cent to reach $10.5 billion in July, helped by strength in the agriculture supplies industry group, which rose 9.2 per cent.
The food, beverage and tobacco subsector added 1.7 per cent to total $15 billion in July.
The personal and household goods subsector fell 2.5 per cent to $12.1 billion.
In volume terms, overall wholesale sales rose 0.5 per cent in July.
Statistics Canada started including oilseed and grain as well as the petroleum and petroleum products subsector as part of wholesale trade last year, but is excluding the data from monthly analysis until there is enough historical data.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
VICTORIA – British Columbia is forecasting a record budget deficit and a rising debt of almost $129 billion less than two weeks before the start of a provincial election campaign where economic stability and future progress are expected to be major issues.
Finance Minister Katrine Conroy, who has announced her retirement and will not seek re-election in the Oct. 19 vote, said Tuesday her final budget update as minister predicts a deficit of $8.9 billion, up $1.1 billion from a forecast she made earlier this year.
Conroy said she acknowledges “challenges” facing B.C., including three consecutive deficit budgets, but expected improved economic growth where the province will start to “turn a corner.”
The $8.9 billion deficit forecast for 2024-2025 is followed by annual deficit projections of $6.7 billion and $6.1 billion in 2026-2027, Conroy said at a news conference outlining the government’s first quarterly financial update.
Conroy said lower corporate income tax and natural resource revenues and the increased cost of fighting wildfires have had some of the largest impacts on the budget.
“I want to acknowledge the economic uncertainties,” she said. “While global inflation is showing signs of easing and we’ve seen cuts to the Bank of Canada interest rates, we know that the challenges are not over.”
Conroy said wildfire response costs are expected to total $886 million this year, more than $650 million higher than originally forecast.
Corporate income tax revenue is forecast to be $638 million lower as a result of federal government updates and natural resource revenues are down $299 million due to lower prices for natural gas, lumber and electricity, she said.
Debt-servicing costs are also forecast to be $344 million higher due to the larger debt balance, the current interest rate and accelerated borrowing to ensure services and capital projects are maintained through the province’s election period, said Conroy.
B.C.’s economic growth is expected to strengthen over the next three years, but the timing of a return to a balanced budget will fall to another minister, said Conroy, who was addressing what likely would be her last news conference as Minister of Finance.
The election is expected to be called on Sept. 21, with the vote set for Oct. 19.
“While we are a strong province, people are facing challenges,” she said. “We have never shied away from taking those challenges head on, because we want to keep British Columbians secure and help them build good lives now and for the long term. With the investments we’re making and the actions we’re taking to support people and build a stronger economy, we’ve started to turn a corner.”
Premier David Eby said before the fiscal forecast was released Tuesday that the New Democrat government remains committed to providing services and supports for people in British Columbia and cuts are not on his agenda.
Eby said people have been hurt by high interest costs and the province is facing budget pressures connected to low resource prices, high wildfire costs and struggling global economies.
The premier said that now is not the time to reduce supports and services for people.
Last month’s year-end report for the 2023-2024 budget saw the province post a budget deficit of $5.035 billion, down from the previous forecast of $5.9 billion.
Eby said he expects government financial priorities to become a major issue during the upcoming election, with the NDP pledging to continue to fund services and the B.C. Conservatives looking to make cuts.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 10, 2024.
Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A previous version said the debt would be going up to more than $129 billion. In fact, it will be almost $129 billion.
NANAIMO, B.C. – Former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney says he’ll be advising the Liberal party to flip some the challenges posed by an increasingly divided and dangerous world into an economic opportunity for Canada.
But he won’t say what his specific advice will be on economic issues that are politically divisive in Canada, like the carbon tax.
He presented his vision for the Liberals’ economic policy at the party’s caucus retreat in Nanaimo, B.C. today, after he agreed to help the party prepare for the next election as chair of a Liberal task force on economic growth.
Carney has been touted as a possible leadership contender to replace Justin Trudeau, who has said he has tried to coax Carney into politics for years.
Carney says if the prime minister asks him to do something he will do it to the best of his ability, but won’t elaborate on whether the new adviser role could lead to him adding his name to a ballot in the next election.
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland says she has been taking advice from Carney for years, and that his new position won’t infringe on her role.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 10, 2024.
