You don't need me to tell you that the business climate is very uncertain, to say the least: clients are defecting, or at best dragging their feet; candidates are nervous about making a move. Around you the executive search industry is taking a hit, and everyone is asking: "How's your business?"

It's likely that you're busier than ever. After all, there are plenty of clients and candidates needing hand-holding and persuading, and that is a very big part of your job as a recruiter. The question on the table that you may be too preoccupied to ask yourself, is: Have you considered your own career lately?

Now you may scoff at this question. After all, you may have logged many years in recruiting, it may feel like your calling. And perhaps it is. If it is, you can stop reading here, no need to consider this further, you have more than enough on your plate.

But if this question strikes a chord, or at least gives you pause, you may want to read on.

The truth is, it's never a bad time to assess your career. If you're forward-thinking you make it your business to do it periodically, just to make sure you're on the right track. There are many ways to conduct a career assessment, and I'll address that later. The point is: right now, in a down economy, do you have the time and inclination to work on yourself?

That depends on how satisfied you feel in your career today. You may say: How can I feel satisfied in my career when the market is in such bad shape? There's so much pressure right now, how can I really enjoy the work I'm doing?

What would you say if I told you that the right career is one that feels that way most of the time? It should not feel right when business is up and wrong when business is down. You should feel confident most of the time that you are engaged, growing and making a contribution, whatever that means to you. I'm not ignoring the fact that the business may be frustrating right now, but that shouldn't bring you down, day after day. If you start out feeling challenged and regularly end with a sense of failure, something is definitely wrong.

Since recruitment is an early economic barometer, you have probably seen the market changing shape over the past year, not just in the last couple of months. Having early information should have enabled you to husband your resources and plan for lean times. Leave it to others to be surprised, you saw this coming. And of course, being able to plan ahead provides a better chance of success.

So putting aside that you might not be as financially successful this year as during the last few years of record-breaking profits, what does being a recruiter really mean to you? What aspects of the profession keep you charged up and ready to dig in each day?

I think the most important component of being a good recruiter is being interested in people: their backgrounds, their choices, their strengths and weaknesses. This goes for both clients and candidates. In a strong economy, your clients will be more accessible and your candidates less so; the opposite will prove true when business slows down. Either way, if you consider yourself a bit of an anthropologist, (and as a search consultant you should), you will find both conditions interesting and should therefore enjoy the process.

Are you a good salesperson? Do you enjoy getting to know your clients and your candidates, both professionally and personally? Are you a quick study? Do you enjoy the hunt? Do you love to make connections?

If you answer no to any of these questions, it is likely you will find yourself frustrated and enervated in a tough market. Searches are taking longer. Nervous clients are holding out for a better or cheaper candidate, knowing that new ones are flooding the market daily. The employed candidates are dragging their feet, worrying about making a move in uncertain times. Do you have the interest, stamina and skills to succeed in this climate? Do you view your role as helping businesses and people thrive in tough times? If the answer is no, or you're not sure, it may be time for some career and soul-searching.

Join me here next time as I provide some ideas on conducting your own career assessment. Meanwhile, I welcome your questions and comments at Allison@allisoncheston.com.