YOUR RANT: I'm worried my company could be about to do a big layoff.
911 REPAIR: I saw a recent study that said we're spending three hours daily worrying about our jobs. I get it. But worrying won't get or save your job. Which reminds me of a conversation with my accountant, Dennis. I once said to him, "Don't change. Stay just the way you are." For no real reason, it's just a goofy thing I occasionally say. Dennis replied, "I can't change."
Most of us are more like Dennis than we'd care to admit. Given where the economy is headed, I believe worrying is a luxury today. We've got to keep our effort going into where we're going and what's next. Below, you'll find "MORE," a series of questions you can ask yourself to determine whether you'll have more time in your current job, or whether you should be exploring more options. For more, check out "Fired, Laid Off, Out of a Job" by Simerson and McCormick (Praeger, 2003).
Market? The old saying describing the economy for most of my life was, "A rising tide lifts all boats." Today, the tide is going out, and it's dragging many of us with it. But the direction of a marketplace can change, if for no other reason than our cars, computers and shoes eventually need to be replaced. Take a hard look at the prospects for your business. Talk to customers, vendors and competitors to really explore the prospects for your industry moving into the future.
Occupation? This downturn appears different than those in '82 and '01. It seems clear that entire industries could go away, never to reappear, while others industries seem destined to return, even stronger than before. Most of us are boosters about our jobs; our glass is always half full. Today, it's important to take a much more objective view. You can see this as a depressing time or as a chance to explore all of your options. Either way, the more realistic you are, the more possibilities you'll be able to create for yourself.
Relationships? Regular readers of Workplace911 know my mantra: 61 percent of people get their jobs through networking. As a colleague once said, "Your network is your net worth." But relationships are also important when viewing the odds that you could be laid off. The more that you are the key contact for big and profitable clients, that your area is declining at a slower rate than others or that you have a huge file of key stakeholders that you're in regular contact with, the better your position will be in to weather the storm.
Extra? What do you bring extra to the table? Can you do a variety of jobs? Do you have experience in key industries that hold opportunity for your company? Do you speak the language of key customers? Are you someone everyone likes and trusts?
Ultimately, my accountant was all wrong; we all need to be able to change today. |