In today's economic climate, everyone needs to be a rainmaker

Now more than ever in our lifetimes, the job security of many placebuilders depends on their being able to bring in resources.

In the private sector, infrastructure spending hasn't led to widespread bumps in job hiring.  According to the U.S. Department of Labor, there are about 21,000 fewer jobs in architectural and engineering organizations in the United States, compared to September of 2009.  In good times, technical professionals who hate marketing and networking could rely on others to bring in the money.  Today, any professional who is not overly busy doing billable work or generating it might be seen as a cost that a firm can't afford right now.

(The back office professionals -- mapmakers, researchers, and others who do little direct work with clients or communities -- are especially vulnerable.  Technology is making it possible for others to do the same work at less cost.  And that's not going to change, even when the economy fully recovers.)

To make things more difficult, the lean times are causing more competition.  In strong economies, bigger firms can afford to turn away smaller jobs, confident that something else will come around.  Now, they are chasing the smaller game.  (This is especially tough for the mid-size firms, which might not have the resources of large firms or the flexibility and low overhead costs of small ones.)

In difficult economies, many nonprofit organizations tend to struggle with increased demands for services and reduced giving by foundations and corporate entities.  Community based organizations, most of whom were created to address social issues, tend to spend more time on direct service and less time on planning.

The public sector has been a good landing spot for placebuilders who wanted to do good works without the risks and uncertainty of working in the private and nonprofit sectors.  Not anymore. Since September 2009,  around 249,000 public sector jobs have been lost, according to the Department of Labor's September 2010 jobs report.  Placebuilders are especially at risk because unlike the work of police, firefighters, teachers and road crews,  it is harder for placebuilders to show direct or immediate benefits from their work.

What if you have someone in your organization who is great at raising funds, getting contracts or retaining clients.  Those people are going to be the ones in most demand from other places.  It's a big risk to rely on just a few people for sustainability.

If you want to be seen as more valuable to your firm, organization or agency:

• Demonstrate how your work can or does generate more revenue or helps the organization retain clients. Being smart is not enough.  There might be plenty of other smart people who are willing to do your job for less money.  Talk about the value of your work, and your organization's work, to everyone who might affect it -- elected officials, civic and business leaders, potential clients. Urban planners in particular need to be promoting the value of planning.  Consider: If they don't know what you do or what value it gives them, why should they pay you to do it?
  
• Always Be Marketing.  If you're not writing proposals or meeting with potential clients, you should be looking for opportunities and being aware of trends or conditions that could pose threats or provide opportunities for your organization.
  
• If you don't have experience in marketing or business development, learn how to do this work.  It's more difficult and complex than it looks. If you think it's just putting a nice spin on what you already do, you need to learn more about this work.
  
• Offer to get more involved in marketing and business development. Work with others in your organization who are good at getting contracts and grants. But don't just copy what they do -- find ways of marketing and business development that work for you and your organization.  If you're uncomfortable asking your supervisors for this kind of work, volunteer to help raise money or write proposals for a nonprofit that you believe in.  They are likely to appreciate whatever help they can get, and you can develop experience and a track record for generating revenue.

--Leonardo Vazquez, AICP/PP

The Bloustein Online Continuing Education Program offers several classes to help you get more contracts and grants, and retain clients.  The next course in this topic is Business Development for Planners, running from November 3 to December 18, 2010. (Scholarships still available at the time of this writing.) Questions about BOCEP or the class?  Contact us