I don't know about you, but I'm kinda tired of hearing from all the negative nellie's, gloomy gilda's and dismal don's out there.

For example, at the SI Executive Forum, Staffing Industry Analysts prognosticated that gross revenue in the staffing and recruiting industry would contract some 11.6 percent from the poor 2008 numbers. The details were even worse: Commercial (clerical/light industrial) off about 13%, Professional off about 5%, and third-party recruiting off a whopping 25%.

Adding to the industry's misery is a national unemployment rate of 15.6 percent for March. That's right, 15.6 percent. Not the 8.5 percent you've been seeing in the media. See this article in Business Week for details, or you can look it up on the U.S. BLS site -- it's the "U6" number.

My point is NOT to be one of those doomsayers focusing on the here and now. I'd rather focus on tomorrow.

Lil' Orphan Annie sang "The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow." And it will. After EVERY recession the staffing industry has boomed big-time, enjoying double-digit growth for several years following. And I don't believe (after tracking this industry for nearly 18 years) that there is any reason to expect anything different this time.

So the question is: What are you doing to prepare for the boom when it starts?

It's a fair question. The people who are preparing now -- investing in people, training, customer relationships, technology, etc. -- are the one's who'll get the lions' share of the business tomorrow.

Again, what are you doing to prepare for tomorrow? I'd like to know.