Will 2010 Be Your Year

Will 2010 Be Your Year Americans are optimists; it seems to be a part of who we are as a nation.   Even during this brutal recession, our national ingenuity is coming up with ways to save money, simplify our lives, and find blessings in what we do have.   Every day, you leave the house convinced you’ll beat the odds.   You’re pretty sure you won’t run into traffic, or be the victim of a traffic accident on my way to work. (93% of American drivers rate themselves as “above average” drivers in surveys; statistically impossible, but consistent with our healthy self-esteem.)   So you have to believe that you’ll beat the odds in your job search as well.   The hiring news is neutral at best  and downright discouraging is you consider what companies are saying about adding new jobs.   But adding new jobs is the last part of the employment recovery cycle; replacement hiring goes on all the time. Even in this economy, people get promoted, get fired, and get transferred.   Your job is to position yourself in the market and within your network as ready when these openings come up.   Other opportunities may come up that don’t look like “jobs” at first, if you’re focused on the traditional model: 40 hours a week with benefits and an office or cubicle.   That model is sooo 2006.   Companies and individuals hire people all the time â€" but they may show up as vendors, rather than employees.   Look for opportunities disguised as gigs â€" short term jobs that provide income for a while â€" and a chance to show what you can do.  Look for more on the “gig economy” in future posts.