If an earthquake had devastated your home, would you sit and complain about it or would you be making new plans?
Too often the first thing people do when their firm is experiencing problems is to sit and mope, complain, do anything other than fight for their jobs or hit the exits. Complaining does nothing. Action does.
If you learn your firm is experiencing financial problems severe enough to put layoffs in the cards or your job in jeopardy here are a few things to do:
If you run a business unit or a company and the numbers disappoint, don’t just take it; make your case to the board, to the president, to anyone who should hear it. Don’t let the numbers stand unchallenged. Make sure people know that it is not unique to your firm and that you have a plan to change things.
If you’re the Average Joe or Josephine, be the “backbone of the organization.” Come in early and leave late. Care about what you do and document everything. Make sure people know how much effort you put in without seeming like a martyr.
If you’re fairly new to the firm when problems occur, become “the eager beaver” by becoming a sponge for knowledge. Ask lots of questions and get advice from everyone important. DO IT NOW!!
If you’re an “old timer” become a work machine. Let everyone see you as important so that they don’t believe that you and your high salary are dispensable.
While all of this is going on, prepare your resume. Start connecting with people inside of your organization. See if you can transfer to a division where layoffs are unlikely or outside of your organization so that you can start interviewing before you are fired.
© The Big Game Hunter, Inc. Asheville, NC 2018, 2016
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Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter has been a coach and recruiter for what seems like one hundred years.
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