Recession-proof your job

In the last three months, several large American financial companies have failed-and along with those failures, thousands of employees and workers in industry support roles lost their jobs. Yes, even those who are not in the financial services industry are feeling the pinches of what some are calling an economic recession.{{more}}

While we in the Caribbean are thousands of miles away, it will only be a matter of time before the effect of those economic failures trickles down to the region in some form. Granted, you cannot single-handedly prevent a company from going under, but you can take steps to ensure you are not the first one out the door.

•  “Money Maker” or “Money Saver”- which are you? Companies making downsizing decisions usually look at why they should keep personnel-in other words, why they should keep you. Are you a big money maker for the company? Are you one of the top sales people? Do your connections consistently set the company up for large contracts? Are you great with customers? If so, your future is probably secure. If not a money-maker, then are you one who has found ways to save your company time and money? Do you also help those around you to perform better? You need to know which one you are-and if you are neither, you might want to start changing so you don’t go out the door first.

•  Be available. One of the biggest mistakes employees make in tough economic times is to retreat to their desks or cubicles and work harder. In fact, that decision could be a deadly career move. If you’re not visible, it’s easier for you to be “disappeared.” This is the time to volunteer for more projects, to offer your assistance, to work with your colleagues. Be strategic and look for projects that are high profile, and lend a hand. Make yourself an integral part of the company’s success. Stay late, arrive early, and do so in a big way.

•  Clean up that resume. If you don’t even remember what’s on your resume, pull it out and begin to update it. And, don’t simply state what you’ve done, but highlight how you impacted the company. How did your employment impact the company, your department, your coworkers, and your clients? Get some professional help, as this is not a task for your friend who writes well. Resume writing is a technique that gets modified from time to time-it’s no longer just a matter of selling yourself on paper in a professional manner.

•  Reconnect with colleagues. If you’ve taken a break from networking, now is the time to jump back in and get reacquainted. Learn what others are doing and keep those lines of communication open. These days, you never know when you might need someone, so reestablish old connections and make new ones, now. Call, e-mail, or drop by-invite them out for lunch or coffee, but make a commitment to touch base monthly with all the contacts in your address book.

•  Expand your horizons. This is the time for you to improve your skills. Take some classes online or at a local educational center to learn something new and update your knowledge. You will not only be more attractive to a future employer, but you might even increase your value to your current one. If your company offers tuition reimbursement, be sure to tap into that resource while you’re at it.

While no job is guaranteed to last forever, take the responsibility to make sure you consistently prove you are indispensable and relevant-the job market is as competitive as it is unreliable.

Karen Hinds President/CEO –
Workplace Success Group,
Toll Free: 1-877-902-2775;
Tel: 1-203-757-4103
Karen@WorkplaceSuccess.com
www.WorkplaceSuccess.com
Creator of The Workplace Success Program (TM)