Even if the economy is in a tailspin—it's still possible to hang on to your job. Not everyone will lose their job during an economic crisis—but everyone can put their best food forward to ensure they're not on the chopping block!
Step1
Get the buzz. Before you panic about losing your job, try to assess the situation and see if there's any danger. Have there been frequent layoffs lately? Is there gossip about people getting let go? Has the management warned that jobs could be at risk? While you can still be at risk of losing your job, knowing where the company stands can put you at ease.
Step2
Use technology to stay on top of things. Keep tabs on what is going on, even if you've been assured all is well. Stephen Viscusi, author of "Bulletproof Your Job: 4 Simple Strategies to Ride Out the Rough Times and Come Out on Top at Work" suggests setting a Technorati alert for your company and staying in touch with the blog chatter about your company. Also, create a Google alert with your boss' name. This will help keep you informed of what's going on.
Step3
Be indispensable. The key is to make sure your employer knows that they need you to not only do your job, but go above and beyond. So go the extra mile and let your boss know what you've done without brown-nosing. I know—it's a delicate balance—but by letting people in charge see that they can't go on without you, you're less likely to be canned.
Step4
Polish your appearance. Believe it or not, many career experts suggest making sure you show up to work on time, dressed professionally. Staying well groomed is also suggested. It may sound silly, but if you're sloppy and a competitor is polished and on top of his or her game, who do you think your company will keep should they need to downsize?
Step5
Make your boss look good. Again, you don't want to kiss up, but giving your boss credit for things is never a bad way to go. Consider being less obvious too. "Kiplinger's" suggests writing an article for a trade publication in which you describe the innovation your boss initiated or give a workshop on that innovation at a professional conference. You get the idea.
Step6
Be practical. Even if you deserve a raise, consider holding off on asking right now. By doing this, you won't stick out as that person who is expensive to maintain should the company want to start cutting costs.
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