6 ways to dodge a layoff
Worried about being laid off? Trying to figure out how to make sure that the ax doesn’t land on you? Money Magazine has a list of 6 good ways for you do dodge the bullet.
1. Make sure higher-ups know you by solving problems and taking on high-profile projects.
2. Share client leads or ideas to generate revenue even if that’s not part of your responsibilities.
3. Hang out with the people the boss respects most. The halo of their good reputation may extend to you.
4. Keep on top of advances in your field and expand your expertise beyond your core area.
5. Look for problem spots that you can help fix. And pitch in whenever extra hands are needed.
6. Volunteering to take a pay cut during an industrywide downturn can make you look like a hero.
These are all great techniques to make yourself indispensable or to bring your company more money. I particularly like #3, because the people the boss likes are perceived as more valuable (even if they do mediocre work) and are less likely to be fired.
I’m not a big fan of #6 unless you are at a small company. I get the feeling that a big faceless corporation is just as likely to ax you regardless of whether you took the pay cut or not. And if you are worried about being laid off doesn’t it make more sense to try and rake in as much money as possible so that you have something to live off of when the ax comes?
