You might be out of a job but don’t think you’re necessarily out of work. You can even be making money during this downtime. As a knowledge worker, your toolkit remains in your head—it’s not like you had to turn it back into the company at your last punch-out. And, because almost all of us have some sort of computer access, you have everything you need to continue building your visibility and even prestige while you’re waiting for the employment side of things to turn around for you.

In fact, ironically enough, now that you’re a free agent, this is your chance to hit major professional goals for yourself. Your time is your own, and you don’t need anyone’s permission to step right up and reach up a little higher than you could when you were embedded ...

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