2009 - Year of the Professional

As something that has come up frequently in casual discussion with friends, family & clients, I feel it is of value for me to reiterate that this year is a great year to be a professional. Going around town and talking with people, most will tell you they have seen significant drop in business, and even the strongest businesses may not see a drop, but will have a tough time exceeding previous years output. Combine that with the fact that less business is being done, people are more weary of who to do business with, every transaction regardless of how big or small are under much more scrutiny than years past and you can see why a vast majority of the business right now is being done by a small minority - the professionals.

Wikipedia defines a professional as a person in a profession that requires certain types of skilled work requiring formal training or education. I will take this a step further. Not only does it require certain skills or formal training, it also embodies a certain work ethic & level of integrity that perpetuates a high degree of trust in those you work with. Regardless if you are in the trades, real estate, tech or any other field, if you aren't bringing that level of professionalism good luck advancing further in your career. Long gone are the days past where little work production, no pride of ownership of your work and just staying under the radar could actually get you ahead in your career - regardless of the field. Now employers want to know that you are the type of person who can step your game up, not out. Clients want to see the extra step being taken, and not on the golf course. Vendors want to work with companies or business that can show them they are in it for the long run, not just to make a quick buck. All of these things are a pretty radical shift in how a lot of business had been done in the not so long ago past. And this is why the professionals have the market cornered right now.

See, while a lot of people out there are trying to figure out what has happened, why its happened and when it will stop, professionals take action. Most of the people that are the best at what they do are not interested in the answer to those questions, rather they are interested in what actions they need to take to maintain their level of success, and if that means changing and adapting their own business model so be it. If that means acquiring additional training or schooling then fine. If that requires a few extra hours of work or taking some work home to complete what is needed then great. Whatever it takes to stay the professional they will get done.

Now, I am sure some of you reading this are saying to yourself well if these professionals have the market so cornered then why should I try - and if that is your attitude then you probably shouldn't try anyway because you have already set yourself up for failure. See a professional looks at a challenge with excitement, not angst. And this is what I am here to encourage in all of you. Now is not a time to feel bad for yourself, crawl under a rock and wait for the repo man to come and take your stuff. rather, now is the time for you to make yourself the professional and take some of that business form the other professionals out there. Trust me, even in this down market we have seen now for almost two years, there is plenty of business to go around. The problem for most people though is that the business now is only going to the real pros. So, take that step. Do what you have to do. Educate yourself, take training or do whatever you need to set yourself apart from the rest of the other non-professionals out there. Do something though, because the more you sit by asking yourself why me and how did this happen, the further you are falling behind the new curve.