Myths about looking for work in an economic downturn
Not all industries will be affected Despite the economic downturn, some industries are likely to remain unaffected and others may even thrive, says Julia Ng, senior executive coach at Executive Coach International. She’s talking about those whose services people and companies need, regardless of the economic situation. Think the healthcare, education, accounting, military, digital marketing and property management industries.
And that pool is set to get bigger, now that 23 industries – such as retail, logistics and security, to name a few – are earmarked by the government for further development.
Under its $4.5 billion Industry Transformation Programme, roadmaps will be created to help these industries grow and become more competitive. Companies will benet from this, but more importantly, workers can expect new and redesigned jobs, with better wages and training opportunities.
Knowing what jobs are out there – and deciding what you want to do – is the rst step. The next: increase your chances of landing that coveted position. Paul Heng, executive coach and founder of Next Career Consulting Group, Asia, shares his tips: You have to have a strategy, something that is proactive, denitive and structured (don’t just wait for job ads to be placed!). Make a list of the companies you want to work for, nd out who As you search, it’s easy to lose hope and believe what others tell you about nding a job in a weak economy. Despite the negative economic outlook, remember that jobs are still out there, your skills are still in demand and employers are still willing to pay you what you deserve. Here’s what our experts have to say about ve common myths: Not necessarily. When the economy recovers or a full-time position for the role you took on opens up, the company is more likely to hire you because they’ve come to know you and your work – provided you did a great job, of course. So make the most of that temp job and treat it as if it was permanent, Julia says.