Well, the economy is getting worse. Every night when you turn on the news the lead story is about how bad the economy was today. Viewers could use information on how to make things better for themselves or examples of others who are triumphing during these hard times. But our brains are not wired to show the same level of interest in warm stories as they do in things that frighten us. Hence – the news on the failing economy is jarring enough to draw not only our interest but the dollars of advertisers that keep television journalism in front of us on a daily basis.
The real question is, what are YOU going to do about how the economy is affecting your life right now? You know the specifics of the nation’s financial systems and how they are weighing on your personal situation. You know the expert predictions of where we are headed. But guilt about not having pulled money out of the stock market early enough and worry about what will happen to the fraction of your investments left there are not going to change where you are right now? Blaming yourself for not switching careers earlier and lamenting over the fear of not finding the kind of opportunities you would like is not moving you closer to peace. Are you leading your life? Or are you an actor in your own drama?
The fact is that job opportunities are declining in just about every sector of the United States with the exception of healthcare and government. Are there opportunities in those areas for you? I think there are opportunities in those areas for just about everyone. If you have worked in marketing, finance, public relations, information management, sales, research or many other professions, you have transferable skills that will translate to any industry – especially healthcare and government. Someone has to keep the books. Someone has to do the research for university health science programs. Someone has to court new physicians to partner with hospitals and sell health insurance to industry and the general public.
The difficult part about these opportunities is finding them. Government jobs are not listed in the newspaper and often healthcare opportunities get listed internally or on Internet career sites and are filled before they would reach the classified ads. Additionally, the general public is not aware of the scope of healthcare jobs.
Government employees stay in their jobs longer than most other Americans. There is sufficient room for career advancement, the benefits are attractive and employees are rarely laid off. To access the list of federal, state and local government jobs in your area go to http://www.federaljobsearch.com.
If you are seeking an opportunity in healthcare, think not only about hospitals. Doctors’ practices have grown in size to include dozens of physicians at a time. These practices are businesses with the same needs as any small business. They are now employing marketing professionals, full time information systems specialists and finance professionals. As the baby boomers age, there is an increasing number of independent and assisted living facilities as well as hospices. The healthcare industry also encompasses insurance companies for health and long term care insurance. Search the Internet career sites such as such as Monster.com or CareerBuilder.com using these categories to find additional opportunities.
If you are unemployed, you might want to contact the human resources offices of healthcare entities and related service industries to offer your services on a contract basis. This will save them the cost of another full time employee and help you earn income during your “meanwhile” time. Be able to describe measurably what you have accomplished in your field and suggest ways that you might help them. “I am able to write and design any external marketing, educational or media materials you might need.” Many people find that they enjoy the flexibility of freelance work enough that they do not return to full time employment. Visit Elance.com and Sologig.com for more freelance opportunities.
Henry Ford said, ‘If you think you can do a thing or think you can’t do a thing, you’re right.’ What are you right about? Where can you start TODAY that will keep you from the useless emotions of worry and guilt? Start now!
For the FREE Worksheets: “Does Your Resume Look Weathered?” and “Where to Find a Job Other Than the Classifieds?” go to Mary Lee’s web site at: http://www.startingovernow.com/WorksheetsandArticles.html
Mary Lee Gannon is a cultural turnaround and leadership expert who went from being a stay-at-home mother with four children living in an unpalatable marriage behind the facade of a country club life to the reality of divorce, homelessness, and welfare. As a national guest speaker she demonstrates turn-around strategies that transform corporate cultures and took her from an earning capacity of $27,000 to the president and CEO of a hospital foundation. Her book “Starting Over – 25 Rules When You’ve Bottomed Out” is available in bookstores and on Amazon.com. Visit her Web site for a free e-book at http://www.StartingOverNow.com. Sign up for her free e-newsletter at info@startingovernow.com.
