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Being laid off in an economy overtaken by recession is not something the work force of today can tread lightly upon. Many employers are announcing that they will be experiencing cutbacks and layoffs due to the slow down in the economy. If this happens, gradually you will begin to see your co-workers and colleagues being asked to leave. In order to protect your position with the company, you are going to need to step it up a notch and figure out what you can do to prove you are an irreplaceable asset to the company. By following the recommendations below you are making a move in the right direction to securing your employment.

1. Speak with company execs - have a conversation with the executive who announced the layoffs. They are most likely the person to ask exactly what is going on and who in the company will be affected.
2. Ask to be transferred - if you are working in a larger company look into other teams. If you are not on a team that is not producing an income for the company asked to be transferred to a team that is. If cuts are being made the company will most likely keep any team that generates revenue.
3. First in/Last Out – show your managers what a hard worker you are by getting in the office and starting your day earlier then anyone else. Also stay later than other employees. You will prove that you are dedicated to your work and the company.
4. Be visible – make sure your managers and those above your managers see the work you produce and make sure that work impacts the bottom line of the company.
5. Volunteer – offer to work on projects that no one else wants to do.
6. Make a sacrifice – offer to take a pay cut or not take a bonus. This will prove to your employers that you have faith in the company and you are putting the company first.
7. Keep on innovating – we are not going to be in this recession forever. Come up with new ideas and projects that will make your employer come out on top once the tough times pass.
8. Prove your worth – Let your managers see what an invaluable asset you are to them and your team. If you need to learn a new skill go out and do it, be the go to person for everything on your project.
9. Become friends with executives from your company – what’s wrong with a little brown-noising? When times get tough and cuts need to be made make sure those who are making the cuts know your name.
10. Offer feedback – use your expertise to offer feedback on ways to improve the company and their product.

Together we can weather this economic storm. It might seem bleak at the moment, but there are a lot of bright spots. We’ve seen companies still hiring and opportunities for growth within our industry. If you do get laid off, make sure to take time to regroup and refocus.

Tawny Labrum is the Office Manager and Blog Admin for BINC, Inc. In between searching for top tier Recruiters and Researchers to join the team, she keeps herself updated on all the news going on in the Software and Recruiting Marketplaces. As a key contributor to the AskBINC Blog she is able to intertwine her views and opinions on the happenings within the two marketplaces and share them with the readers. (Check out their blog for more job advice.)

Posted by Melissa in Career, Guest Post |

This entry was posted on Monday, March 16th, 2009 at 8:00 am and is filed under Career, Guest Post. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.