When managing your career in these tough economic times, you must have a diversified approach, that is both short term and long term. Managing your career does not happen when you lose your job, but when you have a job.

Here are four things you should focus on.

1. Relationships – This is key and it is how people find and get those jobs that are not advertised. At least 80% of your job search time should be focused on creating, nurturing and sustaining relationships.

2. Humility – In this tough economy you may have to take a job “beneath” you temporarily to pay the bills. You may have to take on a second or multiple jobs to weather the storm.

3. Continuing Education – Your degree or skill sets may or may not be in demand and they may be stale. You must formally or informally work on acquiring new skills. For instance, a local company is looking for a social media manager. If I asked you that 5 years ago, would you know what that is? Nope.

4. Entrepreneurship – It does not have to be your sole income source, but it can be a supplemental source that can grow over time. Not everyone can be a small business owner, but more can that are not doing it currently. There are ample sources and very few barriers to entry. This option is not encouraged enough and we need it now more than ever.

Network with others, humble yourself, commit to lifelong learning, and start a business – it will help you short term and position yourself long-term. It’s a winning strategy in a competitive game.

For more personal service, email me at stuartmease (at) gmail.com.