What are the most effective career management strategies during a recession?

It all starts with assessing yourself and the situation. Be very transparent and honest with yourself in self assessment. Seek feedback from manager, mentors, seniors, peers, from whomever you can. Focus on self in the situation, don't fret over what the organisation or your leaders are doing or supposed to be doing.

Flexibility, adaptability and the ability to "figure stuff out" are the most valuable character traits you can have when it comes to navigating career decisions. 1. Trust: Trust in your experience and skillset to be able to figure out a plan if it comes to that. In order to do that, make sure you know your strengths and double down on them. What can you do better than most? 2. Grow your personal brand and build your network. Your employer doesn't own either. Proactively engage with others and develop a reputation for yourself outside of your organisation. 3. Learn new skills relevant to your expertise. Don't be left behind just because there is something new in your field and you aren't comfortable.

Network and speak to as many peers and potential mentors as possible. The power of a physical coffee or "digital coffee" to hear others career choices, ideas, and potential pitfalls is hugely useful. Speaking to a recruiter (shameless self plug!) that you trust is also useful as you can hear the perspective from someone with a wider lens on the job market. They will be able to help you benchmark your skills, experience, salary, etc. relative to others!

One of the main crucial things is to keep improving your skills based on the market requirement as well as environmental changes. Also, you have to have a free mind set to look for internal as well as external opportunities and work towards achieving your long-term career objectives rather than solely taking decisions based on short term gains.

Identify your opportunities, what new skills are on the horizon, after identifying your existing or potential weaknesses, focus on skills that will prepare you for the future. Also since the organisation is going through changes be ready to adapt to new situations - a change in role, addition to responsibilities, change in the way of working.

My educational background is Organisational Psychology and I am a strong proponent of psychometric assessments, particularly personality tests. I found these hugely useful in helping me craft my career choices, my team choices, and future goals to challenge my weaknesses, and amplify my strengths. I highly recommend any personality assessments based on the trait personality measures as they are robust in terms of scientific evidence and help you see the levels of personality traits in each area.

Goal-setting is a proven psychological tool and framework to elicit change in your life and career. Be careful of setting vague, unatainable goals. Focus on SMART goals and target weekly, monthly, and annual goals to help you achieve your larger ambition. Write them out and sign your longer term goals letter as well as it helps to commit to the process!