What can you do to protect your job?

[No DUplicitous DUpe]

Posted with permission from: http://saneramblings.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=75


As the economy continues its collapse, layoffs are mounting fast. This year in the U.S. alone, 1.2 million people have already lost their jobs. In October, unemployment hit its worst level since 1994.

What can you do to protect your job?

1) Smile, be confident in yourself and be supportive of others. You may not be able to control the situation but you can control your response to it. Act like the winner you are and don't be another gloomy voice.

2) Broaden your skills, cross train. Layoffs cause departments to shrink in size but the workload does not. Those who survive layoffs are usually those who can do multiple jobs and do them with a positive attitude.

Here is a baseball example that will help you. From 1953 to 1966 Jim Gilliam played for the Dodgers, an unusually long career for a major league baseball player. Yet Gilliam's lifetime batting average was just a mediocre .265 and he hit few homeruns.

So how did he last so long in a highly competitive sport where players are often released if their skills slightly diminish or supposed better or cheaper players are brought in to try to replace them?

Gilliam learned to play every position well. For the Dodgers he played seven different positions, every position but pitcher and catcher, which made him a valuable man to keep.

And he also coached the young players. Rather than view them as a threat he tried to make them better, something the Dodgers appreciated so much they employed him long after his playing days ended.

What Jim Gilliam did in sports, you could do in your career. It could make the difference of whether or not you get a layoff or enjoy many more years of uninterrupted employment.

[Horse with no Name]

1. In a perfect world this is very sage advice

However, we are in much less than a perfect world.
Employers could care LESS about your skills--they care about the bottom line.
Nothing else. If the guy across the cubicle makes less than you do--it's his job, not yours.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

2. That's Largely Untrue.

Willingness to work, positive attitude, and the ability to perform multiple functions remains a HUGE advantage in keeping one's job.

[Horse with no Name]

4. You would argue with a rock

I said it was good advice but it is LARGELY untrue while in the corporate world. I'm not talking about Mom and Pop businesses.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

6. You Are Misguided And Wrong. In The CORPORATE World, What I Said Is Largely True.

By and large the qualities I mentioned are what matters as it relates to keeping one's job. There are exceptions, such as circuit city's debacle, but the definite majority of companies subscribe to my mindset, not yours. That's a fact.

[Horse with no Name]

8. Not misguided

But I have many friends in every segment of the job sector who have been through downsizing and layoffs.
Some gave their entire lifeblood to these companies who stuck with the kid with pimples on his face and his ass because he was cheaper.
Now I KNOW in your own little corner of YOUR world--where bailouts are better than puppies and rainbows--that the opposite is probably true. I've grown to expect that from you.
But from REAL people and REAL situations...when the axe falls it is going to fall on the ones who cost the most money and it doesn't matter whose fleshy ass you kiss.
And THAT is a fact. It's just not YOUR reality obviously.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

9. It Is You Who Is In The Bubble Dear.

Some companies are absolutely guilty of such stupid decision making. But by and large, most companies do not just blindly layoff people due to salary alone.

Being a hardworker with a good attitude while showing a self-motivated, self-learning and self-starting mindset while also being competent and able to perform multiple tasks and functions, is far more important than just income alone (unless you're talking about the higher salary tier at a company, which in that case salary becomes far more relevant). If someone can only do one job or task well, and their job can be eliminated by having it combined with someone else's who is not only capable of covering the function but shows a willingness and motivation to do so, then you bet they're at risk and the other person isn't, regardless of their salaries.

[AndyTiedye]

10. A Company that Lays off its Best People is Going to FAIL

[onehandle]

3. In 1991, during another Bush recession, I kept my job for an extra year by spending.

There was speculation that my 5 person team was going to be axed in January of 1992.

Knowing how the company thinks, I upgraded us with 100k worth of new graphics stations and peripherals.

Their logic kept us because we were freshly equipped.

Only lasted slightly over a year. In January 1993, two weeks before Bill Clinton was sworn in, the axe fell.

Two years later, they tried to hire me back to start the same team. I told them to shove it. The Clinton miracle was beginning and I had better options.

[nichomachus]

5. Sorry -- doesn't work that way any more

The guy might as well have suggested that you keep your crinoline starched and your bowler hat clean.

Organizations rarely make that sort of assessment when laying people off any more.

When I was laid off, I had been doing all of the above. I was putting in 10-12 hour days, helping out in three different departments. The guy they kept in my place was a guy with a sour attitude who never smiled, stayed in his cube and turned out fairly mediocre work.

All while laying me off, my supervisor kept saying "This has nothing to do with your performance. This has nothing to do with your performance."

I wanted to ask him what was the purpose of anyone performing.

In a lot of companies these days, they say "cut your budget by 12 percent." So, they go down the money side of the payroll ledger, find a bunch of salaries that add up to 12 percent -- and then they look to see what names are attached to those salaries.

Or, they settle old scores. Or they make the decision based on some other irrelevant criteria.

After I was laid off, the head of our unit, after a few drinks, admitted that the whole reason for the layoffs was to "send a message to corporate that I was serious about the budget." In other words, they weren't even necessary.

[No DUplicitous DUpe]

11. Thank you for adding your perspective.

Your comments are appreciated.

[greguganus]

7. I find that kissing ass helps alot. n/t

[Ilsa]

12. Surveille your boss with a good video camera. nt