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Have
you Developed a Career Disaster Management Plan?
SaiCareers.com,
Nimish Thakkar, Career Coach
Disaster
management and emergency preparedness, once the exclusive domain of
large government and corporate entities, are now being utilized by
regular people like you and me to hedge against uncertainty.
When disaster strikes, we are often incapacitated by fear and
confusion. Rational planning and decision-making are not always easy
in such situations. Fortunately, we can learn a lesson or two from our
corporate counterparts. Almost all large organizations have a
comprehensive disaster management and emergency preparedness plan,
documenting every conceivable action the organization will take in the
wake of an emergency.
A personal disaster management plan should, at the minimum, cover the
following:
Outline multiple scenarios
What career (or personal) emergencies can an individual face? From
accidents to terminations, there is an exhaustive list of “what if
***** happens”. Think about all possibilities -- false accusations,
defamation, career mishaps, termination, relocation, transfer, sudden
death, long term illness, plant closedown ….
Create an
action plan
Once you have outlined scenarios, create action plans (or a common
action plan if you are grouping the what ifs) listing a series of
steps (long term and short term) you will undertake.
Work out
the financials
If you are downsized (or lose the ability to work for an extended
period of time), how will you ensure the bills are paid? Do you have
emergency funds? Have you purchased insurance? Will you take up a
temporary part time or full time job? If that is an option, do you
personally know someone who could, at a short notice, provide work?
List
contacts
Develop a core team of individuals (or institutions) whom you will
contact in the wake of an emergency. Local law enforcement officials,
attorneys, CPAs, physicians, family members, friends, peers,
networking buddies, industry contacts,
industry associations, consultants,
unemployment offices,
recruiters,
local companies …. Prepare a
detailed list with contact information.
Develop a
career plan
How will you handle your career immediately after the emergency? If
you will need to look for a new job, outline a comprehensive career
marketing plan with
job search strategies, networking techniques,
resume material, etc. Don’t just touch the surface by listing
strategies. Get into details, such as who, when, where, and how for
each component.
Related Articles:
Top Five Career Mistakes
How to Make your Case for a Promotion
Winning the career war
Career Growth: Strategies For Achieving Career
Success
Grow Your Network: Strategies To Expand Your
Contact List
Telecommuting
Telecommute jobs
Nimish Thakkar is a sought-after certified
career management coach. He has helped thousands of clients, including
professionals at Fortune 500 companies, through cutting-edge career
management tools. Thakkar has authored hundreds of articles and is
regularly invited to speak on a wide range of career-related issues.
Nimish edits and manages a
free career information site,
SaiCareers.com, and is the CEO of a
professional resume writing service,
ResumeCorner.com.
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