Career Planning: The More Things Change, the More they Stay the Same

Good Careers in a Bad Economy, Part 5

As teens and young adults pursue good careers in a bad economy, they will be told that their quests will be difficult.

Some analysts will inform them that they can’t really get anywhere without a college degree. They will be told that the world has gone from making things and doing things to a high-tech global information society. In short, things have completely changed.

After all, this is the worst economy, with the worst career prospects, since the Great Depression. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported an unemployment rate of 8.1 percent at the end of February 2009, up from 4.8 percent a year ago, and could be heading toward 12 percent or more.

What’s a young person to do?

Career counselors Bob Rosner and Sherrie Campbell on Payscale.com encourage a back-to-basics approach. They assert first that while the economy is changing, there still is demand for traditional jobs, and that not all of them require four-year college degrees. They add that no matter what, you must “Stay positive during a recession.”

Make a Plan and Stick With it

The process of planning for a good career — both in a bad economy or a good one — starts with the basics of taking pen and paper and mapping a step-by-step plan. Or nowadays, a computer screen will work just fine.

Good Careers in a Bad Economy
Part 1: Graduating in a Recession
Part 2: According to the March 2009 Bureau of Labor Statistics
Part 3: Potential Careers Arising from the Stimulus Bill
Part 4: Career Forecast: Look for Overlapping Opportunities
Part 5: Career Planning: The More Things Change, the More they Stay the Same

First, make a list of careers that are of interest to you. Don’t concern yourself with the bad economy. You can whittle down your list later. And, as outlined in the first report of this series, you can pursue a dream career and a more realistic recession-proof career at the same time.

Dare to dream. Have your eye on star athlete or entertainer, corporate chief executive, “green” energy entrepreneur, heart surgeon, even president of the United States.

Explore more down-to-Earth careers. Think school teacher, carpenter, nurse, mechanic, insurance representative, police officer. Most jobs, in spite of all the global economy talk, are still old-school jobs. Society still needs food and shelter, public schools and public safety, health care and transportation.

Think of overlaps to broaden your prospects. For school teacher, write “educator” because who knows, you may become the superintendent of schools. For carpenter, put “contractor” because you just might start your own company.

Think of career cousins. Career counselors Rosner and Campbell describe “career cousins” as careers that are similar. If you have dreamed of being a teacher, for example, you might also find an interest in social work.

Once you have made your big list, pick two or three options for careers. Explore the book studies and/or training programs that are required. You’re not alone, because virtually all schools and training programs have career counselors. Find a good one and keep in regular contact.

Cope With the Cost of Education and Training

The pursuit of a good career in a bad economy, or any economy, requires more than good intentions. A young person also needs resources.

Members of today’s up-and-coming generation face a challenge. According to the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education, 47 percent of households say their children can’t afford to go to college.

Policymakers are aiming for reforms. Some state governments are rewarding publicly-funded universities that hold tuition in check. The new American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, otherwise known as the $787 billion economic stimulus package, includes $2,500 college-cost tax credits for this year and next year.

Community colleges are a lower-cost option for getting started. Many professions, ranging from building trades to nursing, do not require four-year degrees. Furthermore, most students who achieve those so-called four-year degrees actually invest more than four years; six years is the average, with breaks taken to save money for the next round of tuition.

Students this year will receive a combined $143 billion in grants and loans, according to the College Board. Some 38 percent of full-time students will pay less than $6,000 a year, but super-elite schools drive up the overall average. The College Board is among many scholarship search sites.

Pursuit of a good career requires hard work. Pursuit of tuition for college or training is the same.

Remember that at some point in society’s chain, there is a link to fill that is essential. Try to find a career link that you will enjoy.

Michael Thompson