Managing your career for high income during tough economic times is a tricky affair with no fixed formula for success. While some companies tend to value their highest performers during tough times, others take a different strategic approach of doing away with low margin divisions or seeking to outsource high expense areas - and in this regard individual performance plays almost no role amongst those affected. How should one plan to manage their career during tough times?

Career Management is an ongoing process during good times and tough times - though we have a tendency to get flabby and fat during the easy times. However, at all times, one must be prepared to guide one's talents into directions towards which our unfolding experience is naturally carrying us towards. For example, if you are getting more field experience in your current job, and are enjoying it to boot, then perhaps your natural next job (at the same company or another) should be to continue to pursue that field work with some more intensity. Picking up suitable experience, qualifications and degrees then would ideally position you to pursue such work if and when you choose (or are chosen) to leave your current position at work.

Needless to say, as time passes and new experiences continue to ripen you towards perfection and guide you towards the fulfillment of your life's purpose, your preparation for that next step will keep evolving as well. Keep yourself in a state of preparedness and readiness, and your career management plan will automatically fulfill its goal of guiding you towards a high income, fulfilling work life.

Sometimes, your next career move may be entrepreneurship, at least part-time entrepreneurship. In this case, your preparation may need to be even more extensive -including funding, business strategy and start up planning. Do not dive into entrepreneurship out of desperation - instead take your time to plan it out thoroughly. We recommend reading E-Myth Mastery for the same. Importantly, your emergency funding has to tide you through the time where you are preparing to launch your new small business.

Keep your network strong and thriving by delivering value to them in good times and tough times. Your network will naturally deliver you with new opportunities in keeping with your career and high income aspirations.

Best of lucks with your career management plan.