LAF Note: This Young Minds post was written by Chuck Hemann.
According to the global Manpower Employment Outlook Survey results, the fourth quarter of 2009 will continue to challenge job seekers in labor markets around the world. We all know, I think, that the communications industry has been hit pretty hard by the global recession. In fact, I think if we looked around at our connections on Twitter, LinkedIn or Facebook we would notice that we have at least a handful of friends/former colleagues that have been the victims of the worst economic environment in many of our lifetimes.
That being said, this economic environment presents an amazing opportunity for young pros to step up and lead. We’re fond (yes, I’m lumping myself in there – I’m young for at least another 3 months 
) of talking about how we want more responsibility. How we want to assume leadership roles within our companies. How we think we have a lot of value to add to our organizations (and we do, in many cases). How we wished our bosses would listen to more of our ideas.
Guess what? Nobody, and I do mean NOBODY, is going to give it to you. You have to step up to the plate and take it! Of course, I wouldn’t want anyone to be fired from their job because they started making demands of their bosses, so here are some ways to get started:
1. Know as much about your industry as you can. I work for a full-service communications agency. Therefore, I read as much as I can that comes across my desk about PR, marketing, social media, investor relations, crisis communications and employee communications. I regularly attend events for all of these different disciplines. I want to know what’s happening in the broader communications landscape. The more macro- your perspective, the more likely you are to gain that seat at the table you crave.
2. Be an information sponge. I alluded to it above, but soak up as much information as you possibly can. Attend meetings in other departments. Attend networking events with industry-related pros, that aren’t communicators! You’d be surprised how much insight you can glean from these efforts.
3. Get your boss out of the office for coffee/lunch/dinner. This is definitely more difficult than the other two, but your boss should be amenable to meeting you for coffee or lunch or even dinner. You can take the opportunity to share some of the insights you have on the business, and the industry-at-large. One word of caution – if you take the time to present issues you see with your company, MAKE SURE you come prepared with some solutions. No executive likes a complainer, but all LOVE problem solvers.
4. Network “the hell out of it.” I owe a part of this one to my colleague, Alex Kidd, who often posts tweets and Facebook status updates about how he’s “designing the hell out of it.” Try to take a more self-oriented approach to networking. I don’t want to speak ill of professional organizations, because there are many good chapters throughout the country, but you don’t need them to successfully network. Use Twitter. Use LinkedIn. Heck, use Facebook, but I guarantee you’ll learn of great events in your area without professional organizations.
Anyway, these are just four suggestions. What other ideas do you have?
Chuck Hemann is the Manager of Research and Online Reputation at Dix & Eaton, a communications consultancy with specialized expertise in social media strategies and tools. You can connect with Chuck on Twitter and at his blog on PR measurement. The views in this post belong to Chuck Hemann and do not necessarily represent the viewpoints of his employer.
