Create Your Plan B Before The Layoff Axe Falls
|
In one short week, the axe fell at a number of companies and thousands of employees were without jobs. Hewlett Packard, Kodak, Ford Motor Company of Canada, PNC Financial and Kimberley Clark each had to make critical business decisions and lay off large numbers of employees. Reasons ranged from "maintaining a tighter rein on costs" to creating a "simpler nimbler" organization". Although the news is usually shocking, layoffs don't just happen. There are usually some subtle signs that changes are coming.How does one prepare for such an eventuality? By having a plan in place...creating a Plan B. Make it your responsibility to manage your own career, to swim out and meet your ship, not wait until it comes ashore. Such a mindset will help lessen the impact of a layoff, and will enable you to weather the storm if and when it comes. Here are some tips to help with your preparation:
1. Keep an eye out for tell-tale signs in your company. If you are becoming a bit jittery at work because things just don't seem right, conduct your own due diligence. Has the company been in the news lately? What for? Did it meet analysts' expectations? Did it have a management shakeup? Are there dramatic fluctuations of its share price? This is not to suggest that you become paranoid, but don't become the ostrich with its head in the sand either. The answers to these questions will be a good indicator of where your company is heading.
2. Take advantage of learning opportunities offered by the company. These may be formal training where you attend classes outside of work, or free in-house courses offered as lunch-and-learn programs. Don't forget the Internet which offers a variety of learning opportunities. Although your job may appear safe at the moment, you shouldn't stop learning. Henry Ford once said, "Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at 20 or 80?".
3. Be on the lookout for internal vacancies, and assess yourself to see if your skills match the requirements. Speak with someone within that department to gather additional information about the position and then submit your application.
4. Find out if there are opportunities to job-shadow another employee or be cross-trained on a system. Such initiatives will help to prepare you for your next career move, whether within or outside the company.
5. Make yourself indispensable (at least give it a try) by keeping abreast of industry developments. Arrange informational interviews to learn more about a field you are interested in, or to keep current with trends in your industry. Watch, listen and read the news and see if you can use any of the knowledge gained to enhance your current position.
6. Start a journal of your special achievements, comments made by your supervisor or coworkers and awards and recognitions received. Review your performance appraisals. What did your supervisor say about you? Did you work on a special project? Were you a member of a team that developed a system which added to the company's profitability? These notes will come in handy when you are ready to brush up your résumé.
7. Develop and nurture a network of contacts, even if you're not yet looking for a job. Many people have the misconception that networking is done only when one is job hunting. It is an ongoing process; it takes time to grow, but will be valuable when faced with a layoff or when changing careers.
8. Join a professional association and contribute. You'll learn new skills, meet new people and build credibility among your peers. Many organizations send their job postings to some of these associations before they hit the newspapers. Saying you are a member of a professional association will be a great addition to your résumé.
9. There might be someone whom you admire in or outside your company. Ask if you could discuss your uncertainties or your career plans with them. It's not a weakness to ask for help.
10. There are times when a layoff is just what you may need to propel you to action; to change careers; to do something different. Redirect your energy into something productive and don't feel sorry for yourself. Take a long hard look at where you are in your career. Are you satisfied? Have you reached a plateau in the company? Is it time for a change?
After all this, if you are still uncertain about your future, enlist the help of a career coach who can steer you in the right direction. Whatever you do, make proactive choices now; not reactive ones later.
Daisy Wright is the president and founder of The Wright Career Solution. She is a trained Career Development Practitioner, who has been empowering individuals to find career success through effective coaching strategies. Daisy can be contacted at (905) 840-7039 or through her website at http://www.thewrightcareer.com
Copyright 2005 ? Daisy Wright. All rights reserved. This article from The Wright Career Solution may be distributed or reproduced providing the copyright and website are included.
|
|
|
Free Resume Examples: More Is Better
If you ever studied any probability theory in high school or college, you probably remember the marbles.Most introductory probability books talk about drawing different colored marbles out of a bag. What's the probability of getting a particular color?Let's say the bag has 20 marbles, 15 red and 5 blue. The probability of drawing a red one is 15/20, or 3 out of 4. The ...(related: Employment)
Job Interviews & The Magic Of Music
Can music help you with your next job interview? It just might! Here's how.
First, it can help you during your research, preparation and practice. While it doesn't appear to work for everyone, some studies suggest that having classical music playing softly in the background as you study can boost your recall. Try it as you're reading over your prepared answers for probable interview questions.
Second, musi...(related: Employment)
Ask For That Raise!
For nine years Jeff worked for company G as an engineer. Flying airplanes was his first love. His job came in a close second place. That changed when Jeff met Judy. Their relationship quickly turned serious and they married.When Jeff and Judy sat down to do financial planning as a couple, Judy learned Jeff's salary was surprisingly low. With a human resource background, Judy knew the salary range for Jeff's type of work, and what his credentials were worth. Jeff was seriously underpaid.Jeff was shocked and somewhat crestfallen. His attitude was, "I'm lucky to do what I love AND GET PAID for having fun!"As Jeff began to understand his market value he felt betrayed. Had he been duped? Had he been a fool...(related: Employment)
Three Steps To Writing Your Own Resume
While most professionals hire a professional resume writer, some draft their own resume. People who write a lot for business usually have more success in putting together a sharp, focused presentation; still, anyone can learn the basic steps to prepare his or her own resume.There are three major differences between a "strong" resume and an "o.k." resume:1. FORMAT AND PRESENTATION DETERMINE WHETHER THE RESUME IS READThe average resume is scanne...(related: Employment)
How To Get The Job You Want In Any Economy... Act Like A Headhunter
Having spent the last few years of my career in the staffing and recruiting industry, I'm asked all the time by friends and relatives if I can help them find a more desirable job. I've helped my fiancé get a job, helped my college buddies get jobs after graduation, and even helped a few high school buddies find jobs having not seen them for years. It's a real joy in recruiting when you can help someone find a job that positively impacts their life. But the fact of the matter is, not everyone has the opportunity to work with a headhunter. I would say that only a small percentage of career moves are made at the hand of a headhunter. So what do the rest of us do when we find ourselves in a dead end situation and no one to conduct the hunt for you?I've heard lots of gimmicks, tricks, and tactics for aiding the process and I'm sure you'...(related: Employment)
Interview Preparation
The dreaded job interview is the Number 1 source of email enquiries to Confidence Club. The following email is typical:"I have an interview coming up and I'm terrified! I have to do a presentation in front of a panel of judges, and I j...(related: Employment)
Overcoming Inertia In Job Change
If you can hold on to an optimistic belief in the possibility of success, you have a very powerful motivator of change. But not everyone can, or will need help to do that as some are naturally more optimistic than others.It can be especially difficult to be optimistic if you are feeling a little hurt or bruised following redundancy, but even when you know you need the change it can be difficult to get going. Just take a look at the stages:Stages of Change1) Thinking About Th...(related: Employment)
Tips For Successful Job Hunting: How To Get A Job Without A Resume
I am in my mid-thirties, and, as you can imagine, I have changed and looked for jobs many times in my life. No matter how successful was in my job hunting research, I realized that there are certain ground "rules" that need to be respected; otherwise, we will not get what we want from our careers.First of all, forget about your resume.A resume can't get you a job. A resume won't get...(related: Employment)
site-map - Copyright © 2007 | Contact Webmaster | All Rights Reserved | Free Articles and Information | Employment