Recession Proof your Job

With all this talk about corporate layoffs it’s easy to believe your name will eventually come up in the next round of cutbacks.  But maybe, just maybe, there are some steps you can do today to reduce your chances of getting the pink slip.  Here are five steps you could take today to recession proof your job:

1. Volunteer for more assignments- the more you’ve got on your plate the more valuable you become.  So listen at work for those projects that are business critical yet under-resourced.  Raise your hand, get on these projects and you’ll be invaluable to the team.
2. Get yourself noticed- you may be so fearful of losing your job you choose to bury your head in your cubicle.  You mistakenly believe “out of sight, out of mind.”  The opposite is true.  When management is considering the next round of layoffs if nobody can vouch for your value, nobody will vouch for your job.
3. Cross-train and upskill- you may find that an entire department is getting cut to reduce costs.  If you fear your department could be next now is the time to develop skills that translate in other areas.  For example, if you write corporate memos for the pr department, could you learn to write memos for the HR department too.  This way you’ve got skills in two areas, not just one.
4. Get the boss to love you- talk to your boss, empathize with your boss on the pressures of working in a tough economy.  See what keeps your boss up at night.  Then find a way to tackle those issues to make your boss’ life easier.  Help you boss sleep better and your boss just might stick up for you if layoffs ensue.
5. Operate at the next level- if you’re a manager and the next level up is a director, start acting and thinking like a director right now.  This added value will show your superiors that you’re actually a bargain.  Where else can they find a director-level employee on a manager’s salary?