Industry News

How To Recession-Proof Your Job

Outplacement Expert Advises Caution

After months of resisting an ongoing housing slump, the economy is looking increasingly vulnerable. While job-cut announcements have yet to surge, the mere threat of recession could provide companies with the motivation for cost-cutting measures, according to the workplace authorities at Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc., the global outplacement consultancy that tracks job cuts daily.

The job market already appears to be sliding, as the most recent government report showed a significant jump in unemployment and anemic job creation among employers. However, an analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics employment data by Challenger found that the job market is not always a leading indicator of recessions.

Among the seven recessions since 1960 (as identified by the National Bureau of Economic Research), five saw job creation continue after the official start of the recession. The most recent recessions (1990/1991 and 2001), however, saw net job losses starting with the onset of the recession.

"It is too soon to tell whether this economy is entering or is already in a recession. It is also too soon to make any conclusions about how the job market will be impacted and whether it follow the trends of the last two recessions or the previous recessions, which experienced a lag between the start of the recession and the start of significant job losses," said John A. Challenger, chief executive officer of Challenger, Gray & Christmas.

"Compared to companies that faced recessions in the '60s, '70s and '80s, companies today react much faster to downturns in business. So it is more likely that job losses will correspond with the start of a recession, if there is one," said Challenger.

The threat of recession alone should be enough to prompt workers to evaluate their current job security and take steps to shore up their positions in an effort to survive a potential downturn.

"The best way to protect job security, regardless of the economic conditions, is to build a castle and place a moat around it. This involves demonstrating to your employer that you are indispensable. You need to do the job that you have been hired to do and augment it with additional work. It may require more hours on the job and some advance planning on your part during non-work hours, but the dividends can be significant," said Challenger.

"You should approach each job or assignment you have with the attitude, 'How can we do this better?' That type of attitude will help ensure that you keep your focus on the well-being of the company, which is where it should be concentrated.

"It is appropriate to adopt the 'community volunteer attitude,' only use it within the workplace rather than somewhere else. When volunteers are asked for an assignment, yours should be the first hand raised. Better yet, you should evaluate the work situation to determine how you can volunteer for assignments that have not yet been made. By suggesting and volunteering for new work, you will be demonstrating the type of aggressiveness that employers appreciate and will increase your visibility before top-level management," said Challenger.


Following are some specific ways to improve your job security:

Solidify the relationship with your boss. If the relationship with your supervisor is need of repair, now is the time to do it. Take steps to ensure that whatever characteristics or factors inspired your boss to hire you are still recognized. Schedule a lunch. Meet with him or her regularly to make sure you are on the same page. If your relationship has suffered, figure out what changed. If you cannot figure it out on your own, ask your boss directly in a non-confrontational, "I-only-want-to-please-you" way. Be prepared for the fact that you will be the one who must change, even if it's your boss that caused the relationship to suffer.

Be an expert and a generalist at the same time. Knowing more than anyone else on a specific issue or topic will help make you the "go-to" person for anyone in the company who has a question on that subject. However, you also want to be well-versed in many areas of your company so that managers see you as being able to contribute in a variety of ways.

Seek assignments on core projects. Find a way to be part of long-term projects that are core to the company and more likely to survive a downturn. Job security will be strongest for those who demonstrate expertise, particularly on projects where there are few experts. The company will consider you essential to an area of the business that is mission-critical. In other words, the company cannot afford to lose you.

Meet your boss's bosses and peers. Go out of your way to meet those at or above your supervisor's level in the company. Attend all company events and introduce yourself to upper-level managers and executives. Let them know what projects you are working on and share your contributions. If layoffs occur and your boss is among the victims, there is no one to carry your torch unless you have built relationships with surviving managers and executives.

Carry the company flag. If job cuts become necessary, employers are more likely to keep workers who are "true believers" in the company's mission. Sporting a company-logo tattoo is not enough. You must demonstrate that you share all of the company's concerns and goals. In addition to attending all corporate morale and team-building functions, you should be part of the committees that plan them. Be an advocate internally and externally. The company will recognize and reward those who are true "company men and women."

Strive for more face time. You may be accustomed to telecommuting or working a flexible schedule that allows you to arrive late or leave early (as long as your work is done). Those days are over. It is critical to have face time with your supervisors in order to be seen and heard. Telecommuters may be just as or more productive and the quality of their work may be second to none, but when it comes time to decide which workers to eliminate, those who have a daily presence and are seen before and after regular hours will be the ones that stand out as being indispensable.

Be prepared for job loss. It is important to realize that even if all the previous steps are taken, job security is never a guarantee in today's ultra-competitive global economy. Make sure you are well-positioned to find a job quickly following job loss. Expand your professional and social network through trade associations, sports leagues and other organizations. Consider hedging your position by taking on part-time freelance, contract or consulting work with other companies, which could quickly turn into full-time positions in the event of a job loss.