“If it looks like you’re overreacting, you’re probably doing the right thing” – Anthony Fauci

 Act now as if you lost your job and you’re probably doing the right thing” – Ken Sher

Okay, I’ll admit it. My comment certainly does not carry with it the same cache as Dr. Fauci, but that doesn’t mean it’s not true.

The facts back me up. We have seen unprecedented unemployment claims. The estimate is that it may go as high as 30%. And the future of some companies is shaky at best, meaning that there may not be a job to go back to for some people.

So, act and prepare like you’re unemployed now so that you are prepared for anything that comes at you as we come out of this crisis as a nation.

What do you need to do to prepare? Look to the following:

• Make sure you’re clear on what your personal brand is. Can you tell people what value you have brought to past roles and what your superpowers are?
• Revise your resume and LinkedIn profile to make sure your personal brand comes through clearly and the message you’re delivering is consistent
• Develop your network. Reach out to people who you are currently connected to and get a conversation with them. Expand your network, not just by growing your connection list on LinkedIn, but by having productive networking conversations

Go a little deeper

Obviously, it’s not as easy as three bullet points. You need to take the time to develop a strong personal brand message and a core message that comes through in your networking conversations and interviews.

It’s also important to write your resume and LinkedIn profile so that most of the focus is on your accomplishments and not your responsibilities. You should research your area of interest and identify the key words and phrases that a recruiter would use to find someone like you or to fill a role you’re interested in.

And you need to develop a broad and diverse network that you are active with. It shouldn’t only be people in your industry. You need to go beyond that because you never know who can connect you with the person who will give you your next opportunity

We are in unprecedented times. Hiring may have slowed, but it hasn’t stopped. There will be high unemployment so don’t wait until it happens to you. Use the time given to you during this crisis to prepare yourself and to begin networking for your next opportunity.

If you want help identifying the steps of the process to help you plan for winning your next job opportunity, click here to receive a short guide entitled “The Sher Process to Your Next Job”.