scattered thoughts

advice

I’m sure Rick Tha Quick won’t mind if I post this… This was an email he sent out a few months ago just some advice on looking for jobs. 

Dear planners,

I’ve been talking to many graduating students about how to get your career lanched in this difficult job market.  Here are my two cents…

The good news

Many in the baby boom population cohort will be retiring in the next decade, creating job openings.  Tea party anti-government, anti-planning sentiments will be overwhelmed by demographic changes more favorable to planning (already demonstrated in California).  Pressing issues such as climate change, water, energy, education, and economic development will create new planning initiatives.  Recent graduates are sometimes preferred to laid off folks with more experience because recent graduates are more likely to stay, fit better into the career ladder, and have better skills in GIS, climate change anaylsis, visualization tools, etc.

The bad news

You already know.

Things you can do

Network.  Some employers are reluctant to advertise a job opening because of the flood of applications they will receive.  Word of mouth is more important than ever in this job market.  That means setting up informational interviews at places you want to work (seeking out CPP alums), leaving resumes and business cards everywhere, participating in APA, ULI, SCANPH, AEP, TRB, etc. , setting up yourself on Linkedin, joining the URP alumni association, etc.

Be flexible about the type of planning jobs you consider.  Traditional land use jobs for cities may be the last to come back since city and state budgets are so tight.  Consultants will staff up cautiously with new development-related work.  Housing development will be the first to pick up.  Non-land use jobs may be more active right now - climate change planning, transportation, work for special districts, environmental work for Federal agencies, international development, alternative energy, etc.

Take temporary planning work.  Cities can often hire you for a specific temporary assignment on a purchase order.   Consultants might bring you in to help with a three week crisis if they are sure of your skills.  Non-profits can always use help.  You can create your own firm (alone or with others).  On your resume this shows initiative, an ability to get work, and no one has to know that your gross receipts are $1000.  Wait tables to pay the bills until full-time work emerges.

Take a job outside planning or outside your intended planning specialty.  Normally, this is not a good idea, since it takes you off your intended planning track and it could be hard to get back.  But employers may be more understanding about this due the lack of planning jobs.  If you do this, limit it to two years or so and make your main hobby be involvement in planning organizations and networking.

Move to a place with better job prospects or where you really want to live.  Its easier to find a job when you are already there.

Unpaid internship.  Not good for your finances, but if you can pay the bills another way you can seek out the place you most want to work and pitch the internship to them. Insist on good work assignments if you are working for free.

Take the long view.  Five years ago many of you would be weighing multiple job offers.  The fact that you aren’t has nothing to do with you, so resist getting discouraged.  Many economists suggest that everyone will change jobs more often in the future, so this demand that you be entreprenurial will prepare you better than those who had an easy road into their first job.

I expect that in the future, employers will be interested in what you did you these lean years - those that found a way to get good experiences will prosper, and those who have a gap in their resume attributed to the bad economy will be understood but less sought after.

Good luck with your search!

Rick