5 Ways to Recession Proof your Job

Posted by john in February 26th, 2008

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Stand out from the crowd!

In my 14+ years in management, I have been through many downsizing initiatives and even a company bankruptcy filing. As a manager, I have been faced with the difficult task of deciding which of my staff will have to be let go, due to no fault of their own. If given the choice, management will always choose to retain employees who are on time, stand out, interact and go above and beyond consistently. If you are perpetually late, always complaining and avoid the boss at all costs, you will probably be among the first to go. Follow these steps to help stay employed, no matter what the economy is doing.

Make yourself stand out
A good way to stand out amongst your peers is to participate in company meetings. Contribute to the discussion. Offer solutions to proposed problems. Also, dress to impress. A neat and clean appearance is a must.

Do more than is expected
Nothing bothers me more than a poorly completed project or task. At a bare minimum, you should always make sure you have at least done exactly what was expected. Cross your T’s and dot your I’s. Pay attention to details. Do more than is expected whenever possible. It will be noticed and more importantly, remembered!

Arrive early, stay late
Another very important one here. Plan to arrive a few minutes early. Get your coffee, tea or whatever. Use the restroom. Say good morning to co-workers. At the end of the day, don’t rush out the door at exactly quiting time. This gives the appearance of clock watching! Stay a little past quiting time and get organized for tomorrow.

Volunteer for jobs no one else wants
This is my favorite. This single tip is worth it’s weight in gold! I become dependant on employees that I can count on to do the unpleasant or difficult tasks no one else wants to do. I have a personal (and selfish) reason to look out for this persons future with the company. When I was starting out as a PC Technician, my manager had a testing project that involved going out to one of our stores at midnight on Friday nights for several months. No one else in the department wanted to have anything to do with it. I volunteered and have never looked back. I became the taker of tasks no one else wanted. Within 9 months of being hired I was promoted to Service Coordinator, then Supervisor and within two years, at the ripe old age of 24, Manager.

Interact with your boss
Talk to your boss. Make suggestions. Let her know you care and are looking out for the companies best interest. When the chips are down, it won’t hurt to have a positive relationship with the boss! If things don’t work out your boss will probably give you a great recommendation.

While doing these things will not guarantee keeping your job, I can tell you from personal experience that it definitely won’t hurt. And in the end, you know you gave it your all and did a great job.