• Mike Crabtree, a data engineering director at Ford, took over 25 online courses to skill up.
• He said learning new skills is crucial to protecting your job amid recession fears.
• Online courses improve your problem-solving and communication skills, applicable in multiple fields.

This as-told-to story is based on a conversation with Mike Crabtree, the Director of Data Engineering at Ford. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

In 2008, I had just received my associate's degree in industrial mechanics and electronics engineering. Then, the recession flooded the labor market.

In a crowded field, my degree and resume — mostly retail experience — didn't stand out as much to employers.

As I pursued a bachelor's in business and computer information systems, I knew I needed to differentiate myself more. I started taking paid online courses from platforms like Coursera, edX, and Udacity, earning certifications in everything from business analytics to leadership skills that I shared on my LinkedIn.

While I didn't major in data science, I took supplemental online classes that helped me stand out and pivot into the field. Ford reached out months after I graduated in 2016. The company hired me as a data scientist that November, a role I stayed in for five years before becoming the manager of a data engineering team. After leaving Ford to work for a data-specific organization, I returned in 2023 and eventually became the director of data engineering.

These days, the job market is a little tougher to break into, let alone stay in. Some people are looking to recession-proof their jobs amid concerns of AI disruption and economic uncertainty.

My experience taught me that the key is to keep learning. By choosing challenging online courses, I tapped into skills I never used before, from technical ones like programming to soft skills that helped me grow as a manager. Taking classes in everything from entrepreneurship to self-driving car engineering also signaled to managers that I was proactive and willing to learn — qualities that are important for feeling secure at a job or getting a promotion.

Here are three ways to recession-proof your job as much as you can — or land a more stable one.

Find your gaps

To feel like you're in good standing at your job or that you're prepared for upcoming interviews, you need to be as well-rounded as possible. If you're incredibly self-aware, you might already know your skill gaps. Personally, I didn't learn mine until I started challenging myself with online courses.

Because statistics and the scientific method are foundational in data science, I took a statistics course. I got stumped on probability and had to improve my understanding before I could move forward. Later, I took a machine learning class and realized that linear algebra wasn't my strong suit. In addition to learning the needed technical skills from those courses, I also learned how to spot my weaknesses — and take action to fix them by studying more.

This can apply to all fields. You might be a manager, for example, and need more leadership training. If your job doesn't directly offer many opportunities to push yourself outside your comfort zone, courses can help you quickly spot what you struggle with.

Grow your problem-solving skills

Being able to think critically, solve problems, and lean into your intuition makes you a more valued team member.

The good news is you don't need to stuff your brain with as many facts or programming techniques as you think. It's more important to be able to assess direction, build business acumen, and make confident decisions.

You might know how to build a linear model as well as AI does. But when you can just look that up, what matters more is realizing that a linear model isn't the best solution to a problem in the first place.

One way I beefed up my critical thinking skills was by taking a course in quantum computing taught by IBM, which heavily involved physics — something I wasn't an expert in at all. It taught me to think quickly and wrap my head around a lot of conceptual topics. I went in thinking I was learning one skill, but I left learning four.

Be communicative

Forming strong workplace relationships is important, especially in a tough job climate. After I worked at Ford as a data scientist, I left for a managerial role at a data company. When I exited that job, some old coworkers at Ford started reaching out the moment they knew I was back on the market.

Throughout my career, I've seen many brilliant technical professionals struggle to move up — not because they're mean or ornery, but because they're super quiet and keep their heads down. Because they weren't assertive enough, people didn't know much about them.

In my own career, I've taken public speaking courses to improve my communication and confidence. Beyond simply speaking up, it's also crucial to be able to share your suggestions in a clear and approachable way. This is especially true if your job is highly technical.

You can be the smartest person in the room, but if no one knows your name or understands your ideas, it doesn't really matter. Bridging that gap by building up your soft skills is the best way to set yourself up for success.

• I thought hard work would earn me a promotion.
• However, I was continuously skipped over for promotions and larger projects at my design firm.
• A colleague told me to move my desk to be more visible in the office, and I instantly got more work.

Growing up, I was always taught that hard work pays off, so I assumed that was how the real world worked.

I worked hard in high school, earning all A's and just one B in my last semester. I got into my first choice school for college and landed every job interview up to that point. My hard work paid off.

One of my college professors then recommended me to the hiring manager for a paid internship at a design firm in Chicago while I was still in school. She had noticed my excellent work and active participation in her class.

Upon graduation, I was hired full-time at that architecture and design firm to work in the resource library. I planned to climb the ladder and land a role on the design team with the hard-work mentality that had served me well thus far.

I figured if I kept exceeding expectations, I'd be noticed and promoted. But it wasn't that easy, and one piece of career advice changed everything for me.

I kept getting passed over for a promotion

I gave my all to the role and the firm. However, I was continually passed over for larger projects and for promotions.

I kept going above and beyond, working 12- to 14-hour days to complete my duties and assisting the design teams on their projects. Yet, I still wasn't selected for a promotion outside the library.

When I asked around why I hadn't been picked for an associate position, several people thought I already was one because of all my work and accomplishments, so no one thought to nominate me. Designers I had spoken to said I hadn't done anything wrong; I just simply wasn't there in the team area when assignments were made.

Finally, an architectural principal saw me working late one evening and asked what my goal with the firm was. I told him I wanted to move out of the resource library and onto design projects full-time.

He shrugged and said three words that changed the trajectory of my career: "Move your desk."

He finally explained that people assign projects to people that are top of mind. Since I was tucked away in a remote corner of the office, I was rarely considered. I needed to move my desk to the exact area where I'd like to work so they could literally see my face.

At the time, I was an avid rule follower, so I was afraid to move my work desk without being invited, but I did it anyway.

I took my colleague's advice, and everything changed

I moved my desk to the office's main area — where I had wanted to work — and did my library work from there. Being physically present in the new workspace, I was assigned to projects I wanted to be on almost overnight.

I worked on hotels local to Michigan Ave and overseas. I was also handed a multimillion-dollar military project, for which I even got to travel.

I was getting assignments time and time again — both in the hospitality and military sectors.

Finally, I was promoted to junior designer — just a few weeks after moving my desk.

Hard work isn't always the answer

After my experience at the design firm, I learned one crucial lesson: Hard work alone isn't what gets you places. It's how you play the game; it's proactively putting yourself in places and positions you want to be in — before you're actually "there."

Unfortunately, I spent many late nights in the wrong place in the office, where no one could see my accomplishments.

My performance and results are always stellar, but I've learned I can be great without running myself into the ground.

As long as I put myself in front of people with power, I can take my career to the next level.