Fist, I am sorry. When Frank (co-blogger) first decided to start this site, we had committed to regular entries to the site. It seems that when the market was slower, it was easy to ensure 2-3 entries per week. Being in the industry, there seems to be a correlation between market action and frequency of our blog postings. I know, it is not really an excuse but rather, a testament to how the last economic downturn has affected our effectiveness. Practice makes perfect, but a slow economy means that many of you, and me included, are slowly losing their edge.

Like every professional (insert your sport of choice, here) player whose skills seem to progress from “above average” in the pre-season to “almost god like” in the Playoff season, we too are susceptible to losing our edge in an economic downturn.

As we now ramp up again, (yes, the market is turning), the dullness of some of my less practiced skills are becoming painfully obvious (time management being one of them). The good news: a good dull blade can be easily sharpened, very, very quickly, while a bad blade…is just a bad blade.

So, if you are still looking for work, I promise you that you have lost a bit of your edge. Here are some ways to get your A game (or at least B+) back.

1. Practice, practice, practice: volunteer, or offer to do some Pro Bono work for a local charity – sharpening your core skill set. Hint – pick a role that will allow you to develop your “strongest” skills.

2. Read. Yes, read. Read those industry journals that you never had time to read before. This will keep you abreast of the newest strategies, methodologies, technologies in your industry.

3. Find a hobby. Not just any hobby, but one that allows you to keep working the skills that are most important in your career.

4. Develop a “work related” routine. If you have been taking the opportunity, as you look for work, to “sleep in” and “slack”…STOP IT! If you had to wake up at 6AM to go to work, then wake up at 6AM to start your job search. Does a day in the “typical life” of the “employed” in your industry have a tight deadline culture? Then set yourself timelines in your job search. Schedule your day, EVERY day, Monday – Friday. You will thank me later when you finally get a job and have to transition to a day job.

5. Attend speaking engagements, conferences, industry/professional support groups. This will allow you to continue associating with like minded individuals, allowing you to “keep your head in the game”.

That should help…for starters. Anyone else have any good recommendations