EDITOR'S ANGLE | SPRING 2010 EFFECTPast the Cusp
by Paul D. Pfeiffer
It’s easy to get gloomy about all sorts of things in March. Add a long winter and a stubborn, sloppy spring to the economic uncertainty, and it can dampen even the most optimistic spirits. Despite persistently unpleasant unemployment numbers, there is reason for tremendous hope on the horizon. But to see it, we have to place ourselves just past the cusp of recovery.
For the sake of this vision, I’m conveniently stepping over the miserable stress millions of people without jobs are experiencing. I am not minimizing the profoundly difficult times they’re going through, but I am focusing on the fact that a downturn is a temporary state.
As with any difficult time in a person’s life, a period of unemployment prompts reflection and introspection. Looking for work forces you to rethink your career choices and encourages you to honestly evaluate your needs and wants. It presses you to consider your relationships, both professional and personal. It is a time to ponder your dreams and hopes—and your very sense of self.
After relying on friends, family, and former co-workers for job leads and emotional or financial support, you come away from the experience with the realization that no one is an island, and many people are willing to help you out—and you’ll remember that the next time someone asks you to read their cover letter. Throughout your search, you add new skills and revive old ones that have been out of use for years. You may develop a new understanding of frugality, creativity, tenacity, and adaptability: all good things to have when preparing for a new period of growth.
When I was on the job market after graduate school, I tailored my resume for a variety of positions. I have a diverse set of experiences, so what I chose to include in my work history depended on what the position required. I had done enough agricultural work to apply for a position at a cranberry producer in Wisconsin. And I could realistically see myself in a human services position in North Carolina that served middle schoolers. By highlighting my international experience, I was a competitive candidate for a teaching position in Guam.
Preparing each application and thinking through potential interview questions forced me to recognize and communicate the pieces of my experiences that would be most relevant to the employer and make me most successful in my work. Because of this process, I felt like a strong candidate for a lot of different positions. I wasn’t padding my resume or exaggerating my experience—what surprised me was that all these different skills and qualities were really me. So, I knew I could be as successful teaching composition in Indianapolis as I would be writing brochure copy for a wilderness outfitter in Minnesota—and that was a powerful feeling.
Entrepreneurship suddenly doesn’t seem as risky as working for someone else.
Yes, my self-esteem took a hit each time I got a rejection letter, and it was painful to call back people who’d interviewed me to find out why they’d chosen someone else for the position I’d convinced myself I was perfect for. But by doing it, I learned how to present myself so my valuable attributes were clearly understood.
As I searched for work, I also considered where I wanted to live and why. I weighed dream job scenarios and considered how much security I needed. I evaluated the demands of certain positions on my young family. These are the questions that people who are looking for employment consider. The questions are hard and they are personal. The answers require research, serious thought, and a few late night heart-to-heart talks. But the outcome of this process, most people agree, is positive. Successful job hunters emerge feeling stronger, tested, creative, and savvy.
My point is this: if a fair percentage of the 15.3 million unemployed people go through a similar process of reassessing where they are and where they want to be, and take steps to bring themselves to a new place both personally and professionally, the results may be profound.
For some, it may mean finally starting a dream business, because entrepreneurship suddenly doesn’t seem as risky as working for someone else. For others, it might mean switching fields to one that is more personally rewarding. Reshuffling priorities can move people in all directions.
So imagine what our business world will look like on the cusp of growth again. Those who made it through the cuts, watched some of the perks disappear, and listened to their friends and family who took the hits, have also done some soul searching. We’ve all looked at our workplaces from a new perspective and possibly with a more discerning and appreciative eye. Is this company solid? Is it growing? Is it ethical? Does it have strong leaders? What can I do to help this place succeed (because my livelihood depends on it not going in the tank)? Imagine combining this group with those who have just accepted positions after a several months of looking.
I clearly remember the exhilaration of finally getting a job offer, and the excitement, energy, and enthusiasm with which I walked into work. That same jolt of business adrenaline may be coming to our companies as lean businesses pick up those who are eager to approach their jobs with new vitality, ideas, and a raw appreciation for work.
The Great Recession has turned our world upside down, but it may also be the catalyst for the transformation of our workplaces and ourselves.