Posted on January 1, 2010 by Tahlent Team
Analysts everywhere are awaiting the end of a decade that has seen at least two economic upheavals. In 2001 the bursting dotcom bubble caused a major shakeup among Silicon Valley startups, spreading gloom across the world. Late 2008 witnessed the fall of Lehman Brothers and the domino effect on the global economy that resulted in widespread job losses, slashed budgets and political repercussions.
Business-watchers are optimistic that the new decade will bring good tidings. They say that there are encouraging signs that the recession is showing signs of easing. While the economic slowdown led to across-the-board cost-cutting and dealt a harsh blow to face-to-face networking events in 2009, it forced serious professionals to go online. It made them rethink and redefine their networking strategies.
People are now networking in more and more dynamic ways. Video résumés, mashup profiles and online portfolios gained importance as job-seekers tried to gain a foothold in the slippery market.
The growth of wireless communications clearly led the way in 2009, making the mobile office a reality. At the same time, the rising popularity of tools like Google Wave enabled teams to collaborate across geographies and time zones while allowing companies to keep operating costs low while driving up productivity.
Online, business networking has acquired a personal touch. Signs of change are showing in networks such as Facebook, which initially began as a platform for university grads to connect with each other but now sees increasing traction with advertisers and brand marketers, making them attractive to job-seekers.
These trends reflect an upbeat mood in the jobs market. The Wall Street Journal reported in December that recruiters expect a 19% rise in executive-level jobs in the first half of 2010. The Christian Science Monitor warned that the growth of the jobs market may be “agonizingly slow” though the outlook is good for small and medium businesses, which will lap up many job-seekers. There is good news for fresh graduates, too. Job fairs, which were not fashionable in 2009, are showing signs of a revival.
The trends go to show that no matter at what pace the economy recovers, smart business networking holds the key to success in 2010. Are you ready?
Tags: 2010, business networking, economy, fresh graduates, job fairs, Jobs, networks, new year, small businesses, social networking, startups
Posted on November 4, 2009 by Tahlent Team
In November 2008, Harish met the same fate as many software engineers. His employer, a technology giant based in Bangalore, handed him the pink slip.
For two weeks Harish stayed at home, unable to come to terms with his misfortune. He had no back-up plans and little in terms of savings. The outlook seemed bleak, as calls to job consultants didn’t get past the receptionist. To shore up for the uncertainty looming ahead, Harish sold his three-month-old Zen Estilo and moved to a smaller home. He sold his LCD TV and his iPhone on eBay.
One afternoon he picked up his digital SLR camera, which he had hardly used, and sat down to compose another ‘for sale’ classified ad. It was painful to write it, because Harish had been extremely attached to this camera.
And then, suddenly, an idea struck him.
Harish slapped his laptop shut, picked up his camera, hurriedly packed a rucksack and caught an overnight bus to Hampi. Arriving in Hampi in the morning, he checked into a cheap hotel and freshened up. After breakfast, he stepped out for a stroll through the town and towards the temples and monuments. It was an overcast day, and the light was perfect. He spent the day photographing the monuments and the breathtaking rocky landscapes as well as some market scenes. He took a night bus back to Bangalore the same evening.
He downloaded his photographs to his laptop the next morning and uploaded them to his Flickr account. For the next few days, he continued his job search and forgot all about his photos.
Three days later, he received a comment on one of his pictures. It was from the editor of a travel magazine who wanted to buy the picture for use on his magazine cover.
Harish was pleasantly surprised. Though he had received praise for his photographs earlier, he had never considered the possibility that anyone would have a commercial interest in them. His heart in his mouth, Harish wrote back to the editor, asking him what he would pay.
There was no reply. Harish thought he had offended the editor by asking to be paid for his amateurish photos. Two days later, the editor wrote back apologizing for the delay in responding. He expressed interest in buying three more photographs and offered Rs 3,000 apiece.
Harish couldn’t believe his luck – a trip to Hampi that cost him no more than a thousand rupees had fetched him Rs 12,000! On a friend’s advice, he enrolled for a photography workshop to polish his skills. It was a therapeutic way to spend six harrowing weeks that would have otherwise been spent in a fruitless chase after headhunters.
By the end of the course, Harish’s confidence had grown immeasurably. He set up a website and mustered the courage to offer his photographs to publishers. At first, eight out of ten turned him away, but he soldiered on. Within six months, he was selling about ten pictures a month for anything ranging from Rs 1000 to Rs 5000 apiece.
If he had not lost his job, Harish reflected, he would never have found his true calling!
Harish is not alone in being a “lucky victim” of the recession.
MySunnyBalcony, an innovative business engaged in designing and creating innovative garden themes in small enclosed spaces such as apartment balconies, was started by four Bangaloreans in the midst of the recession. They followed their hobby – gardening – with passion and zeal when the economy was looking down.
Similarly, many risk-takers have taken advantage of the recession to exit the boredom of corporate life and focus on their hobbies and interests, eventually turning them into successful careers. Not surprisingly, the recession has engendered unusual careers such as bartending, DJing, floristry, jewelry designing, sports coaching, teaching swimming or music, coffee/wine/tea tasting, freelance writing and web designing.
Smart, determined people see an opportunity in anything – even a recession. For them, crisis is just another avenue to chase their dreams. Making the shift takes guts, drive and an extra helping of self-belief but it is possible to make the most of your recession if you look within to find your calling. Your hobby can be your passport to an unusual, satisfying and rewarding career. When the economy springs back, you will find yourself happier and wealthier in more ways than one.
Do you have a similar success story to relate? Share it with us by posting it as a comment.
Tags: bartending, Careers, coffee tasting, designing, DJing, economy, entrepreneur, Entrepreneurship, floristry, freelance writing, hobbies, Indian Professionals, music, recession, Talent, Talent Community, Talent Network, tea tasting, unusual careers, wine tasting
