Five simple ways to avoid the layoff axe -- Career Center Blog

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January 26, 2012

Five simple ways to avoid the layoff axe

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By Randy Woods
NWjobs

If the Great Recession has taught us anything, it is that no one is irreplaceable. A tailspinning economy and shrinking revenues can spark a panic among management, leaving even the most loyal and talented employees vulnerable to the chopping block. But there are methods that you can use to ensure that your name stays at the bottom of the pink-slip list -- without working yourself to death.

The old standbys of showing up on time, working hard, focusing on costs and meeting deadlines are almost too obvious to mention as keys to employment success. We'd all like to position ourselves as indispensable cogs that run the core business functions, but that almost never applies to every employee. Instead, here are some tactics you can deploy that will keep you on your boss's good side when the next quarterly review comes around. For job seekers, these tips should also be applied and described in your resume to show how important you were to your previous employers.

1. Ask questions. Like the old saying goes, the stupidest question is the one never asked. In self-sufficient Seattle, where there is a natural tendency for people to be bit aloof, many of us (myself included) prefer to keep our heads down and do our jobs with a minimum of interaction with our superiors. But if you take the initiative to ask your boss questions about how to solve certain problems or improve your own work, you display curiosity and interest. This can help separate you from those who are merely meeting their deadlines and quotas.

2. Anticipate change. Those who face layoffs first tend to be the ones who didn't see change coming in their industries. Be sure to keep up with the latest trends in your industry by joining associations, reading trade journals or taking online classes (on your own time, of course). Employees who point out areas within the company that can be improved -- and can back themselves up with the latest data and cost projections -- are the ones who managers want to keep on their teams during difficult economic times.

3. Make your boss's job easier. Along with asking questions about how to improve your own performance, ask your boss if there's anything else that you can take on to help ease the workload. Pay attention to the elements of your boss's job that cause the most stress and offer to help out. You don't have to do two jobs at once, but it's important to show that you're willing to take on more responsibility. Set aside some time each week or month to volunteer for a task that is above and beyond your job description. Trust me, your boss will take note.

4. Let you talents be known... Too often, outstanding individual performance is hidden behind the otherwise admirable atmosphere of "teamwork." Make sure that managers know how much effort you put into a particular project. During meetings or conference calls, be sure to set the tone by listing the accomplishments you've made since the previous meeting and check in regularly with your supervisor to track your progress.

5. ... But don't be a jerk about it. This is often a fine line that some workers have trouble treading. You want to let people know your worth, but you must be careful not to come off as a braggart. As you note your own accomplishments, make sure you also give credit to other team members and make it clear how important they are to the success of the company. Finally, it must be noted that talking trash about co-workers behind their backs is never a good strategy. Even if it pushes you ahead of someone else for a promotion or management of a new project, it only puts a target on your back and gives you a reputation as someone no one wants to work with. In our interconnected age, people who don't value personal relationships at work don't last long.

Randy Woods writes about job-search tools, networking techniques and other tips to help you land your dream job.