Deep Survival

June 2009

My new favorite book is Deep Survival - Who Lives, Who Dies, and Why. Part page-turning stories of adventure, part science, part philosophy, I found journalist and adventurer Laurence Gonzalez's work fascinating and applicable for our times.

So I was stunned when, less than 24 hours after I finished the book, I heard Peter Villegas' story of how he survived the biggest bank failure in U.S. History. His story almost exactly mirrored the survival traits Gonzalez writes about. I had the privilege of being on a PRSA panel with Peter, Betsy Berkhemer-Credaire and Dawn Wilcox titled: Don't Get Kicked in Your Career. Peter went through the list of actions he took when his employer, Washington Mutual, failed and was bought by JP Morgan Chase, putting all WaMu jobs in peril. Few would survive, but Peter did. You can watch a few soundbites from the panel at PRSA-LA or on YouTube.

My goal is to not only help clients survive, but to thrive with the authentic personal branding and marketing that comes with getting your very own Blue Feet. But survival comes first, so I'm dedicating this edition of my newsletter to some of the wisdom I picked up from Deep Survival.

Be Here Now

"Survival means accepting reality."

One story from the book is of a man attending a railway opening. His only experience of transportation was horse and buggy. It was not in his reality that something could move so quickly. He did not make it all the way across the tracks.

One of core elements needed for survival, according to Gonzalez, is a sense of presence, enabling one to see the world as it really is. This resonated with me because I continue to be amazed when I hear someone comment on the economy, saying, "I've never seen it like this before," as though they just discovered the recession. Apparently, the daily news reports that this is the worst economy since the Great Depression really has absolutely nothing to do with them.

News Flash: Here's what's happening now. This recession has something to do with everyone on the planet. The sooner you figure out what the new reality is in your industry, the better you can take control of your career or business to plan for the new world. And part of that new reality is that you will have to continually market yourself, for the rest of your working life, especially if you want to have the life you choose, not just whatever happens to come your way.

Adapt to Changing Circumstances

"Survivors always turn a bad situation into an advantage or at least an opportunity."

Survivors are incredibly creative in making do with what they have, and taking what they have and finding new uses for it. Steve Callahan, whose shipwreck story is featured in the book, survived 76 days on the open ocean. One key was figuring out how to capture and store water when his distilling device failed early in his odyssey.

As industries such as financial services, media and communications change forever, many talented, top-performing professionals have to create opportunity out of the tools at their disposal.

They must take the education and experience designed for one career, combine it with their inherent abilities and transferrable skills, and market themselves in different areas.

To be successful, you have to do the work to make the prospective employer or client see how your experience as one thing will make you a top performer at another. Do not expect them understand this by giving them a resume designed for your previous career. You need an entirely new approach.

Help Someone Else

"Helping someone else is the best way to ensure your own survival. It takes you out of yourself. It helps you rise above your fears. Now you're a rescuer, not a victim."

I was very impressed by a group I met at a PinkSlip Mixer. They were in a support group I believe was part of the EDD in their community. The office was set up so people could come in and use the computers and share knowledge. Part of what they did was to help other people get jobs. These were unemployed people helping other unemployed people get jobs.

One person told me how he advised another job seeker to broaden the search terms for prospective jobs. This uncovered many more opportunities, and eventually a job, that did not show up in the original, narrow search. Sharing his Internet savvy led to an opportunity for a fellow job seeker.

I've written before about volunteering. Getting out and doing something for someone else is a great cure for self-pity and gives you the opportunity to use your brain. As my mother said of her childhood during the Depression years, "We didn't know we were poor because we were always giving to the poor."

Don't Follow the Rules

"Psychologists who study survival say that people who are rule followers don't do as well as those who are of independent mind and spirit."

I think the reason this is true is because, when the world changes, the rules change. This does not mean going through life doing everything on the fly. Survivors plan. Gonzalez is clear about that. But they must also let go of the plan when necessary. Rule breakers are not wedded to their plan.

What are the rules these days anyway? People who've submitted dozens if not hundreds of resumes online ask: "How do you get past the wall to speak to a human being?"

The Internet doesn't give people jobs. People give people jobs. You have to connect with real people, now more than ever. If you are required to submit your resume online, work every angle you can to get a personal connection to someone who can move you out of that queue.

To save their financial lives, many people are setting up shop as consultants while still continuing to search for full-time jobs. (Read more about this in a recent Wall Street Journal article.) I believe this will be a permanent state of affairs that will eventually shift the balance of power to the job seeker, who will be selective about signing up for a 9-5 position. Another reason you need a personal brand and life-long marketing.

Get Your Very Own Blue Feet

Thanks for taking a minute to read my newsletter. Please know that you don't have to try surviving this economy alone. Blue Feet can help by developing personal branding and marketing tools that are authentic to you. From a personalized resume consult to interview training to a complete marketing plan for an executive or entrepreneur, Blue Feet has what you need to turn adversity into opportunity. I'd love the opportunity to help you move from surviving to thriving.

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