The road to success: how to progress your career in housing

In this week's blog, Adam Sampson, chair of the housing social enterprise C4H, discusses how 2011 could be one of the most challenging years for those working in the housing sector with increased demand and tight budgets placing greater pressure on housing professionals. However, this will also present fresh opportunities for employees to show new and different skills. Sampson discusses how new management and leadership techniques will be crucial to steering housing associations through the recession and why robust financial restructuring is required to ensure income is planned and jobs cuts are not short sighted. Career development and innovation will play an important role in how you weather the storm and finding the right guidance and support is key. Would you like to advance your career or improve your expertise? How do you plan to do so? Or perhaps you'd like to change direction. For advice on your professional development and to get an insight in to what the industry has to offer, join our panel of experts in our live Q&A, 10 January, 12pm to 3pm. Our panel: Jayne Crosse is head of the skills and knowledge team at the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA). Jayne was previously director of strategy and practice at the Academy for Sustainable Communities (ASC), and head of strategy and corporate services at the Objective 1 Programme for South Yorkshire. Jayne's specialist areas are in skills and knowledge, partnership building across public, private and community sectors and sharing best practice around regeneration. Jill Allcoat is the membership development manager at the Chartered Institute of Housing , the professional organisation for people who work in housing. Jill works to promote careers in housing by communicating with potential entrants and those already working in the sector. Matt Lewis is business director at Hays Social Housing . Matt is responsible for business development, maintaining key customer relationships and innovation in developing new resourcing-related services. Recent developments include the tenant job seeking skills and tenant board recruitment services. Nicola Dibb is business development director at GB Building Solutions Ltd and founder of Women in Social Housing (WISH). Nicola has over twenty years experience in the social housing sector, and her career has focused on development. After working for Notting Hill Housing Trust as area development manager, she capitalised on her transferable skills by working on land led partnership schemes with house builders and mixed tenure regeneration projects. Nicola set up WISH in 1999 as a networking group for women with careers in the affordable housing sector. Jan Goode is director of customer services at Housing Plus Group — a leading housing organisation which includes South Staffordshire Housing Association , Care Plus and Property Care as members. Jan has been involved in a new recruitment and appraisal processes which look at individuals' work ethics, values and attitudes as well as experience and capabilities. Jan has also implemented a range of staff benefits including a free counselling service in order to ensure that the organisation is both an employer and a landlord of choice. This content is brought to you by Guardian Professional. For more like this join the housing network