The questions we should all be asking ourselves are these – “Did I make the most of the 2009 in terms of positioning myself to ride the wave of economic recovery?” In other words, “Was I a spectator or a participant?” If you were a spectator, what are you going to do differently in 2010 to get in the game?”
In response to the gloom, doom, and overall negative mood that was rampant at the beginning of 2009, back in February many of you will recall that I conducted a Knowledge Expansion Session that offered insights on the truth about our current recession and the “once in our lifetime” opportunity that it represented. In that talk I discussed the difference between the three categories of economic indicators – Leading, Lagging, and Coincident, with the Stock Market being the prime leading indicator. Another little known leading indicator is employment in the temporary labor industry (contingent workforce). As signs of recovery begin to appear with consumer demand increasing, having cut permanent workforce deeply, companies begin first to cautiously augment their workforce with temporary labor long before they hire full time employees.
These two indicators provide early signs of the direction of the economy, and both are moving up and to the right! These are the indicators to watch. Unemployment is a lagging indicator which continues downward long after the recovery has begun. Do not pay attention to it as a sign of things getting better, for if you wait until it starts to decrease, you will have missed much of the economic recovery.
Several months after the February event I jumped back into the stock market with the purchase of some stock in Ford Motor Company – which by the way has done really well! Not since the great depression of 1929 has there been so great an opportunity to redefine and recreate our future, but only for those of us that are paying attention and are goal directed - those of us with focus, and a system. Are you in that number?
You see, according to the experts, growth trends occur when increasing numbers of people indicate interest in, or express need for products or services from certain industries or activities. To capitalize on such growth trends you simply go to work for a company that provides these “solutions” or start a business that offers a product or service related to the growing industry or activity; in essence position yourself ahead of the wave of market demand! Now make no mistake, there are a number of trends in every recovery – there absolutely has to be because recovery depends on these trends! It is to stimulate demand in these key trend areas that economic stimulus spending is often directed. Think green industries and alternative energy…
Some Insights
According to researchers at World Wide Learn - http://www.worldwidelearn.com/online-education-guide/top-ten-job-trends.htm the top trends defining the next decade are as follows:
- Aging Baby Boomers (this is a big one)
- Better Medicine (fueled by number 1)
- Increased Costs of Child Care
- Rapid Technology Growth
- Distributed Work
- Computer Programmer
- Day Care Provider
- Elder Care Specialist
- Employment Specialist
- Environmental Engineer
- Home Health Aide
- Management Consultant
- Network Engineer
- Physician’s Assistant
- Social Services Coordinator
Reinforcing this assessment, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics - http://www.bls.gov/emp/ep_table_203.htm - has identified the fastest growing vocational sectors during this decade. I urge you to go there now and check out this list. Topping the list is contingent or temporary labor (Professional and Business Services) – more about this later in this post.
The Power of Intention
While not perfect, in 2009 federal governments around the world held true in their intention to stimulate economic recovery by injecting trillions of dollars into the global economy. Economic recovery means new businesses, capital investment, and new jobs. In the same edition of the Wall Street Journal cited at the opening of this post, another article features “Japan’s Look to New Sectors to Drive Its Economy”. Need I say more?
So the real question is “What is your intention for 2010?” Do you have a plan to ride the wave of economic recovery, framed by clearly defined, written down goals, with a deadline and a plan for achievement, or are you still licking your wounds from your 401K and income/job losses of 2008 - 2009, focusing on what you no longer have instead of what you will create in your future? Remember, you get more of what you focus on. And what you focus on expands. Flexibility is key!
Are you still tuning into the BNN (Bad) News Network for the latest reports on the “Jobless Recovery”, or are you doing your homework to identify the industries, investments, employers, and job categories that are growing and expanding right now, and moving yourself into position to capitalize on this growth and expansion? The choice is yours, and the results are yours as well.
Many of you know that earlier this year I changed jobs. There were several reasons for the change, which by the way was coincident with the worst economic uncertainty in my lifetime. Chief on my list of reasons for this change was this very fact - it was perfect time to position myself geographically and segment wise ahead of what is widely expected to be the #1 fastest growing economic sector over the next decade – management and technical consulting. For more insight check out the referenced article from which I’ve pulled the following excerpt…
Special Report on Contingent Staffing—The Future of Contingent Staffing Could Be Like Something Out of a Movie - http://www.workforce.com/section/06/feature/26/84/06/index.html
“Companies are likely to make wider use of staffing methods similar to those practiced by the film industry. Indeed, in a recent study 73 percent of employers said they anticipate some level of increase in their contingent workforce by late 2010, with nearly 35 percent planning increases of 50 percent or more.”
I’ve made some other changes as well. You see, one thing is certain – the deer that stands frozen with his gaze fixed on the headlights of the oncoming car gets run over.
If you want something you’ve never had, or have been afraid to reach out and grasp, let me encourage you to join my tribe of 2010 Goers and Growers by following me at www.twitter.com/boxesltscoach. Defeating fear and promoting well thought out action is our goal.
To support launch of this tribe I will be posting details for the next Goal Achiever’s Knowledge Expansion Session – Setting Goals for G.A.I.N. in 2010 along with other tips on goal setting and achievement. Also, you’ll want to keep your eye out for the re-launch of my website – www.getoutofyourbox.com which will return before the end of the month with some exciting new content, tools and services. And if you have an Iphone – the website will have some exciting news that you don’t want to miss!
Happy New Year and welcome to the decade or our mutual economic recovery!
Mark J.
Lifestyle Transformation Coach
Goal Achiever
Leader of the 2010 Goers and Growers tribe
Onward and Upward in 2010!
