Keeping your job in a tough economy

re: Keeping your job in a tough economy

Mark — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 22:33:08 GMT

Simply remember why you do what you do, then put on your hard hat and continue to work to the best of your ability everyday. In times like this, rumors are going to persist about which people, divisions, or business units are next on "chopping block". Because of the current economic woes, cut backs are the reality with which we have to deal. While it is a possibility that you or your group may be the next ones to be laid off, if you allow your performance or attitude to slip as a result of that fear, the possibility immediately turns into high probability.

Also, understand the industry that you are in. Just like the article suggested to predict companies that will hire prior to them posting job openings, predict which industries are going to have the most difficult time staying afloat in the positions they are currently in. It always helps to think to yourself, how would you react if the survival of your own company depended on the decisions you have to make, knowing full well that if you make the wrong one, you may run the risk of un-employing 100% of your people.

re: Keeping your job in a tough economy

newyork — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 15:30:53 GMT

As employees, we all need to realize that our jobs are not the end all and be all, especially from a spiritual and self worth standpoint. We are all more than what we do, we are all co-humans on this planet. There are many factors involved in determining your worth and standing in the workplace, many of them have nothing to do with economic value or performance believe it or not, and many if not most of them are way beyond our control. We need to understand that we are all individual businesses providing some kind of service. If your service is very good or good, you have a good chance of surviving at a job. We all need to be ourselves as honest, humble, decent, caring people working together in teams. I am not saying this is easy especially with all of the jerks around us, but this is all we can really strive towards doing to live with ourselves in this day and age. There are no promises in life, especially in the workplace, so keep you chin up, hope for the best, pray and move forward, using your special talents and skills to perhaps start your own business and compete against those who may have not treated you so well, and then, believe me, they will notice you. Most of all the best payback is to live peacefully and well; no one can take that away from you except yourself. Not easy, but work towards this. Peace to all.

re: Keeping your job in a tough economy

P. — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 17:31:59 GMT

Pay off your debt, don't spend, retire soon.

re: Keeping your job in a tough economy

gorp — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 02:30:05 GMT

Oh Viv please. I bet you son also scored 10 goals in one soccer game on the 4th grade traveling team and then when he grew up, he won the Indy 500. C'Mon....I know he's your son, but you weren't there at work every day with him were you? Stop crying. Let's be serious. Maybe he was a big time slacker.

re: Keeping your job in a tough economy

Viv — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 02:19:11 GMT

All good answers, however, they all don't always work. My son, unfortunately, was the highest paid, the biggest performer, the most qualified and the one with the best accountability (always at work on time, working over when needed, putting in more hours without pay) but still the first to get laid off. When you get right down to it, whoever is doing the cutting controls the scissors and that's the name of that game!

re: Keeping your job in a tough economy

Mark H — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 02:18:17 GMT

Ok, all great ideas and comments. The real question is, where are 1.2 million jobs going to come from?

re: Keeping your job in a tough economy

Pete — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 02:14:35 GMT

Yeah I agree Jon. Can someone print an article on how to go about getting laid off successfully? I would make more money than the car buisness is paying me right now if I was collecting unemployment. That's for dayam sure. Then I could bartend under the table (which is my part-time second job already) and be set.

re: Keeping your job in a tough economy

Bob B. — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 01:56:25 GMT

Prior to my retirement, I was supervisor with a staff of 15 software developers. The division director required the supervisors to submit a "TOTEM POLE" on a quarterly basis, identifing each individual and ranking his/der contributions to the organization, Employees who were consistently on the bottom of the list were the first in the layoff selection. There was no guess-work or favoritism, as the employhees contribution was the deciding factor.

re: Keeping your job in a tough economy

Brad — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 01:32:50 GMT

These are all good ideas and suggestions, but what nobody is driving home enough is that this should be done ALWAYS!, not just when a down turn comes.

Your pay is to come to work on time, or a few minutes early, stay until closing time, and WORK while you are there. Give a MINIMUM of 100%

And do it with a smile on your face, and if you ever get to where you can't do that, well, then you need to find some place else to work.

re: Keeping your job in a tough economy

RPA — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 01:16:34 GMT

I don't believe the entire article. I am being layed off my job after working for the company for 18years now. I am the best at what I do. I am the highest producer in this job, and the most knowledgeable. After 18years you would think so. I have telecommuted for the last 9 years, I'm an independent worker and get more done at home than in any office. My year reviews have all impeccable over the years. I have the best repoire with my clients, many of whom know me and of my knowledge in this field, yet after all these atributes the decision has been made not by my boss or my bosses boss but by some vice president or director newly hired to cut cost, thats the bottom line, keep the company and the shareholders making money and happy. I've met with my boss and my bosses boss about this both agree its out of their hands. It doesn't matter how flexible you are or what your willing to do when the decision is made, its made. In 18years I've been the star, I've been the thorn, I'm always nice, i haven't been the target (especially working from home, in fact I've been pretty much invisable), I perfer the low profile, and I've been the number one person for change because change whatever it maybe always turns out to be for the better.