Make Yourself Recession-Proof: The New Rules of Work, Confidence, and Success in Uncertain Times

The current environment, characterized by rewritten rules and rapid innovation, is not a time to be dictated to, but an opportunity to design your ideal career. Nobody has the playbook, which means individuals can create their own path and define the game they want to play. This requires active participation and a proactive mindset.

Carla Harris states, 'It is an unprecedented time. Nobody has the rule books. In fact, all the rules are being rewritten. This is not the time to be dictated to when you have the opportunity to design. So, design.' She adds, 'When there is no playbook and there are no rules, anybody can play the game. And you can also create how you want the game to be played.'

The two primary inhibitors for women in their careers are fear and fatigue. Fear, often 'false evidence appearing real,' prevents individuals from taking risks, while fatigue, especially in mid-career, leads to burnout and a reluctance to push through perceived barriers. Addressing these through strategic rest and reframing challenges is crucial.

Harris identifies, 'There are two things that I say hold all women back, fear and fatigue.' She advises, 'Anytime I feel that fear creeping up the back of my neck, I remind myself of that old southern saying, 'Fear is just false evidence of things appearing real.' It's really not there.' For fatigue, she emphasizes, 'rest is when your body has a chance to rejuvenate... at least 7 hours.'

Hard work and performance alone are insufficient for career progression. Critical decisions about compensation, promotions, and opportunities are made in closed-door rooms where you are not present. A 'sponsor' is a powerful advocate who uses their organizational currency and credibility to speak on your behalf in these rooms, ensuring your contributions are recognized and rewarded.

Harris explains, 'Every single decision about your career will be made in a room behind closed doors where you are not present.' She defines a sponsor as someone 'spending their currency... to make sure that you're going to get the promotion, you're going to get the compensation, you're going to get the next great opportunity.'

Artificial intelligence is a new frontier that offers significant opportunities to save time and enhance productivity, especially for those feeling overwhelmed or lacking administrative support. It can summarize emails, manage travel, generate presentations, and provide feedback, effectively acting as a 'personal assistant' and freeing up valuable time.

Harris suggests, 'Ask artificial intelligence, how do you build an agent?' and provides examples: 'Summarize these 20 emails for me,' 'pick out the five most important ones,' 'have the agent pick out for you what are going to be the most competitive fares,' 'Write me a presentation on this particular thing, 15 pages.' She recounts using AI to get book summaries and interview questions in less than 10 minutes, saving 7 hours of work.

When seeking a new job or a raise, it is crucial to research and understand the market value of the position. Entering negotiations armed with this data allows you to confidently advocate for fair compensation. Accepting an offer below market value sends negative signals about your negotiation skills and willingness to accept less, leading to future underpayment and frustration.

Harris advises, 'You ought to know what the market value of the seat is, so when you go into that interview and you crush it, and you get that offer... you say, 'I'm not in a position to take this offer because I did do my homework coming in, and the market value of the seat is between 200 and 250.'' She warns, 'if you take the 150, then you're sending some poor messages. The first is that you negotiate poorly. The second is that you'll take anything.'