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How to Get Through the Hard times IT employment is, and always has been, cyclical. There are times when jobs are plentiful and rates and salaries high, and times when it is almost impossible to find work. But many people who entered the IT workforce after 1993 are only now experiencing their first downturn. Here are a few tips for keeping your career going even when times are hard. 1. Working is always better than not working. Yes, a year ago you might have been able to turn down a couple jobs while you held out for $100/hr, but in the current down market, you'd be wise to take any contract or job that keeps your skills current. A gap of more than six months on your resume may make it much harder to find any new position. 2. Be reasonable in your salary or rate expectations. The inflated pay of the past few years was an aberration. Most 28 year olds are not worth $250,000 a year. Research current data and come up with a reasonable salary or rate range for the kind of work you do based on reports from people with skills similar to your own who have recently taken new positions. 3. Use down time to train yourself in new skills. Read those books that have been piling up, get involved in Internet discussions, write code, and learn about management. 4. Keep up your connections with friends and co-workers from previous jobs. They'll let you know about new projects that are coming up that might be able to use your skills. 5. If you aren't working, don't panic. It might take a lot longer than you'd like, but if you keep at it, you'll find something. Do something every day to improve your skills, look for work, and keep up your contacts. 6. Consider relocating if you can't find a job in your region after a five-month job hunt. 7. Contractors who were working as W-2s may be eligible for unemployment compensation. If you can't find another job and money is getting tight, look into your state's unemployment laws. 8. If you think that political decisions have left you unemployed, don't waste your time writing flames on Internet boards. Write a short letter to your congresspeople and senators documenting your skills, your job hunt, and any other facts that back up your contention that legislation has taken away your job. |