By: Jennye Morano

When the economy and job market took its first nosedive off the high board back in late 2007, I was working as an Executive Recruiter for the Insurance industry.  The first two rounds of people in the Insurance industry affected were senior level managers and junior executives.  Despite the formal reasons given, the reality was that these were workers further on in their career with less time left for possible advancement, increasing medical premiums to their employers, and larger salaries/compensation plans than lower level managers (who were ultimately held holding much bigger bags).

Confounding these individuals’ plights was the fact that they had been in positions that were self-sustaining; they had earned the role by time in the industry and they were “above” being usurped by underlings (or so they thought).  That is not to take away from the years of hard work it took to obtain said position, but that once the throne was conquered, some very important skills were lost in sitting up at the top.

Namely… networking and volunteering.

As anyone presently seeking employment knows:

• The internet has not been friendly.  It’s cold, it’s impersonal, it’s black hole of infinite uncertainty.
• Job Fairs are so over attended that personal time is almost not guaranteed.
• Newspaper advertising is almost strictly for commission-only sales staff or nurses.
• Cold calling into companies results in being tossed into the VOIP wasteland known as voice mail.

What is a person to do?  How can I get my face in front of potential employers or those that influence the decision of potential employers? How do I get people to know that I exist?

Namely… networking and volunteering.

According to US News: “for the nation’s 15 million unemployed, the professional value of unpaid work could hardly be greater. Volunteering has offered a path for job seekers to broaden their networks, sharpen their skills, or simply stay busy, and the experience has helped lead some to paid jobs.”

Perhaps the most important of these aspects, if your career is truly your primary focus, is the honing of existing skills or the addition of new skills.  It is much easier to take on a new project, such as grant writing or fund raising (which may be outside of your wheelhouse) when the pressure to perform to today’s standard of “workplace perfection” is lessened by the voluntary environment. Yet, you are still learning vital skills that only serve to make you a more rounded prospect for consideration.

However, one work of caution: don’t just join random groups and sit on the sidelines.  Nobody in today’s marketplace is going to come over, tap you on the shoulder and send you back to Kansas, Dorothy.  It just isn’t going to happen.  Critically and accurately select those networking groups or volunteer opportunities which will bring you in contact with those who can help or influence… then, take an active role.  While some volunteer positions can prove to be a part-time job, the results might just surprise you.

And you may just end up back in ruby slippers again…

Jennye Morano is the Manager of Sales and Business Development for FrankCrum Staffing, one of Tampa Bay’s fastest growing provider of human capital solutions.

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