Job Security Is a Skill
In this job market, it is no longer enough to be good at getting a job -- you have to be good at keeping it.
According to a recent survey by Dice Holdings, a New York-based creator of career Web sites, two-thirds of companies are hiring fewer people and one-third are expecting layoffs in the next six months. Not too surprising. There have already been 140,000 layoffs since Nov. 1, just among the 500 largest American public companies.
What's one to do? Being great at your job isn't enough -- after all, no one is indispensable. All you need to be is more indispensable than the next guy.
In this job market, it is no longer enough to be good at getting a job -- you have to be good at keeping it.
According to a recent survey by Dice Holdings, a New York-based creator of career Web sites, two-thirds of companies are hiring fewer people and one-third are expecting layoffs in the next six months. Not too surprising. There have already been 140,000 layoffs since Nov. 1, just among the 500 largest American public companies.
What's one to do? Being great at your job isn't enough -- after all, no one is indispensable. All you need to be is more indispensable than the next guy.
Assume Responsibility
Take on extra responsibility. Run extra reports or volunteer for special projects. Consider organizing the office holiday party or other events (blood drives, volunteer programs). These activities will make you valuable even if your job no longer exists, says Jo Prabhu, chief executive of placement firm International Services Group. You don't necessarily need to work more hours; you need to diversify what you do with the hours you do work.
"Find your expertise," says Darryl Sample, who teaches managerial and business classes at University of Alaska, Anchorage, and Central Texas College. He suggests finding something missing in your pool of coworkers. Learn a few things about, for example, green energy, corporate social responsibility programs or the next big industry trend, then make a suggestion in line with your company's goals. All at once, you'll show forward thinking, an alignment with company objectives and skills or knowledge above the guy next to you.
Continue to work on your communication skills. While it's great to be the best at your job, creativity, innovation, and brilliance are lost without the ability to champion an idea and properly connect it to the company agenda. Good communication doesn't just get you retained, it gets you promoted.
Boost Your Visibility
Self-awareness is crucial to any good job-keeping strategy. Know what you bring to the table and demonstrate it. "Be more visible, less vocal," says Prabhu. Make successes, rewards and project completions known. A noticed good job is always better than an unnoticed great job.
If all else fails, there are a few ways to subtly trick the system when layoffs loom.
Cutting employees who've gone the longest without promotion is a quick and dirty strategy for trimming staff. To human resources, a long span without a promotion indicates a mediocre employee at best and inevitable firing at worst. Prabhu suggests asking your superior for a change in job title. This will sometimes look to human resources like a promotion.
The same can be said about lateral movement within the company. Even if you don't get a promotion per se, you show yourself as a flexible and active employee. Keep an eye out for job openings within your company. Check job sites as well as internal networks, as some companies post openings externally without posting internally.
Don't Count on Seniority
Seniority is also used sometimes to make immediate cuts without mucking about with the specifics. If you are relatively junior, it can sometimes be beneficial to work in a new department or be start on a budding project.
One year on the hot new project can be more valuable than five years in the general pool of employees. Of course, there is always the risk that the entire thing could get scrapped and everyone working on it canned. Keep in mind that innovation-driven companies may be more likely to keep new projects intact through a storm.
But unless you have a union job, don't rely too heavily on seniority. The last guy in the door isn't always the first to leave. "Seniority means nothing anymore," says Sample. "Companies are going to take the cream of the crop."
Enhancing your seniority and promotion history is easier when you are informed and connected. Chat with co-workers that aren't in your department, and keep an eye out for any news about your company.
You are never completely safe from losing your job. Stay marketable, but remember -- if you can sell yourself to another company, you should be able to stay sold to yours.
