The Top 10 Ways to Keep Your Job During Downsizing

Originally Submitted on 6/29/97.

1. Regularly assess your company's goals and your own to see if they are in sync.

If they are, ask yourself if you have the skills you need to move your company forward. If your goals are different, it's time for you to move on.

2. If you find gaps between your company's needs and the skills you currently possess, immediately interest in appropriate training.

If you sense downsizing is a probability, pay for your own training. This would not be the time to put in a request for spending. Any time you are offered optional skills training, be quick to take advantage of it. Companies do not offer training for skills they do not value.

3. Increase your visibility by serving on task forces and committees where you can make contacts across functional lines.

Volunteer to do something that will showcase your talent.

4. Pay attention to rumors and other red flags, and do not discuss your impressions with anyone.

Inconsistencies between what you hear and what you observe, constantly changing priorities and schedules, greater visibility of human resource and out placement professionals, less hiring activity, and budgetary cuts are all signs that downsizing may be lurking.

5. Be a good listener, evaluate facts carefully, and use your intuition in making any decisions about your best move.

6. Be supportive of your boss.

Help control costs. If you can, help your boss plan a strategy to move up. Offer to write a P.R. memo once a month about departmental accomplishments.

7. If you think your department or division is on shaky ground, kick into high gear to develop new business.

If that is unsuccessful, market yourself as an in-house consultant, or start an in-house and out of house job search.

8. Be aware of power bases and maximize your contacts to expand your network.

Don't underestimate executive secretaries and human resource professionals. Make them your allies.

9. Define quality the same way your superiors do.

Concentrate on raising your standards in relationship to company values.

10. Set your own productivity standards and exceed them.

Write your boss a memo stating your goal and the deadline you've given yourself for accomplishing it.

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