The bad news: unemployment among college-educated workers has jumped 41% over the past year, with layoffs expected to rise over the next few months as the Bush tax breaks expire. The good news: you can protect your engineering job by taking a few pro-active steps.
1. Get Noticed. Increase your visibility. Make sure your boss knows you're working hard and leading the charge to meet those deadlines. "Ghosts" and wallflower performers are usually the first to get laid off in tough times. Arrive for work early. Pitch in during an occasional Saturday (but make sure your boss sees you or at least knows about it). Get in as much face time as you can. Be vocal at meetings with meaningful suggestions. Volunteer for the most highly visible jobs.
2. Be a Rainmaker. No boss wants to let a money-maker go. Not in these tough times. Come up with new ways to add revenue, or ways to improve existing revenue streams. Along the same lines, suggest ways to cut expenses, shave production or material costs. Do some digging and find a less expensive vendor or supplier.
3. Be Positive. Don't complain about expense reports, budgets, lack of equipment, thermostat settings, bad coffee or other conditions at work. Nobody likes grumpy people.
4. Be the "Go-To" Person. Every workplace has them. They're the people who always know what to do in a crisis. Learn to anticipate problems. Develop a strategy for solving them. Be well informed about ancillary aspects of the job.
5. Describe the Job, Don't Let the Job Describe You. With today's shrinking budgets, employees are being asked to do more with less. That means your boss will expect you to do things outside of your job description. Be the first to do it for the team. And don't complain.
For an added perspective, check out the videos: How To Keep Your Job In A Bad Economy and How to Keep Your Job
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Alex A. Kecskes has written hundreds of published articles on health/fitness, "green" issues, TV/film entertainment, restaurant reviews and many other topics. As a former Andy/Belding/One Show ad agency copywriter, he also writes web content, ads, brochures, sales letters, mailers and scripts for national B2B and B2C clients.
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