Less close than armchair internet pundits would lead you to believe.

The US is in recession, it was just denied it's existence by the Administration prior to the Midterms. Now that those are past, they'll go ahead and declare a recession since there's no voting for 2 years.

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In a recession or slow down, hiring still happens. It happens a lot slower than normal.

Keep a job if you can but be prepared to jump, go to lunch with former coworkers and network like crazy.

The best (and I think only) way to prepare for a recession is to do so in boom times: save, save, save. Live under your means as much as possible. There is no better tranquilizer and means of weathering a storm than a fat savings account, and you can only fatten it up in boom times.

Part of being not cavalier is also thinking ahead -- you have XYZ job now, but what job do you want next? When interviewers ask people, "Where do you see yourself in five years?" it's not a bullshit throwaway question. Do you see yourself managing people who do the same job as you in five years? Do you see yourself doing the same job but for a larger company? Do you see yourself going back to school or getting additional training? Do you see yourself working in a different industry? There are lots of ways that career paths shift and move as industries change and economies go up and down, and most people just do not give that a second thought.

Maybe you might still get swamped by a big wave, but you'll recover from it better if you know your boat. People who plan weather storms better, even where their plans have to change because you grow to know yourself and your situation better in the process of planning.

Anyhow, sorry for the tl;dr comment, dude.

The average American needs to be staying out of debt much more than they are. I recognize that many people can’t avoid it, but I do see tons of folks still buying way more vehicle than they need (“well I got approved for the loan so it must be ok”) or funding their lifestyle with credit cards and letting the balance build.

That stuff works ok when you have a steady income but it makes for a world of hurt if that income gets interrupted.