There's no sugarcoating the effects of economic uncertainty. However, if there is one silver lining that women can take from such tumult, it is that there may be no better time to reimagine a career.
When the going gets tough, women get tougher. Uncertain times are often turning points, for both economies and individuals. To ensure that you are happy, successful and secure in your professional future, it may be worth reimagining your career during uncertain periods and thinking how you may refocus, relaunch or otherwise advance your career.
Leveraging uncertainty to break the glass ceiling for women
The concept of the glass ceiling is a metaphoric barrier that women and minorities face in the corporate world. They can see through the glass ceiling but face challenges in breaking through it. As counterintuitive as it may seem, economic uncertainty can hand women a "break in case of emergency" hammer to smash through the glass ceiling.
How so? When uncertainty prevails, employers may look for new voices, skills and perspectives. Similarly, markets and consumers may demand innovation and reward new thinking. This presents women with opportunities to upgrade their careers, start a business or learn new skills.
Need a spark to reimagine your career? Start by asking yourself the following questions:
Is the work I do meaningful?
Increasingly, Americans are looking for jobs that provide meaningful work beyond just a paycheck. Many want to feel as if the work they do matters in the grand scheme of things, whether that's contributing to community causes or initiatives like sustainability and social justice.
Oftentimes, a gap between personal motivations and on-the-job realities creates a disconnect. When people don't feel inspired by their work, they may not try as hard.
If you're growing disillusioned or disengaged, take the time to ask yourself what really matters to you. Giving back to others? Raising awareness? Finding solutions? Envision yourself as the change you want to see, and then think about how you might bring that about. That could mean starting your own ethical business, finding an employer that champions causes or requesting to form a task force at your current workplace.
Can I benefit from learning new skills?
The answer to this question is almost always "yes." But the real dilemma is which new skill to learn and how?
The best place to start is in assessing your own strengths and weaknesses. Maybe you are great with critical thinking but would like to sharpen up your interpersonal communication skills. Taking leadership courses could help you learn new tools and strategies for driving communication and collaboration.
Maybe you want to move into a more exciting career, which may mean learning coding, data science or another discipline.
In terms of "how" to get new skills training, there are a variety of online sources, such as Skillshare®️, Udemy®️ and Kahn Academy™. Also, many prestigious universities and schools offer online graduate degree programs that can often be completed in two years. On the other hand, taking individual courses online or at a local college can help you build capabilities and gain new knowledge.
Even attending a webinar with industry experts can enhance your professional profile.
Can I be more successful?
Too much of a good thing can turn bad. For example, if you feel you've been at the same job too long, you may lose your drive to achieve. Economic uncertainty can turn out to be a great launching pad for a new career.
As mentioned, uncertainty may spur employers to seek out new voices or candidates with diverse backgrounds. Revising your resume is a good starting point if you want to find a better job. Starting a blog about your experiences or passions might be able to further demonstrate your value as a candidate. Uncertainty may also create an opening for you to branch off and start your own business.
Comerica Bank is proud to stand as an advocate for all women in the workplace and partner in building their careers. You can contact us at any time for more information on our support programs and what we can do to help you.
