What To Do If You Think You Can Lose Your Job

September 5th, 2008

Unless you’re incredibly gifted, incredibly lucky, or both, at some point in your career you’ll likely be fired or laid off. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, today’s average American will have had 10 jobs between the ages of 18 and 38. So job loss has pretty much become a fact of life. Luckily, there’s a lot you can do; some experts even say that it could turn out to be the biggest opportunity of your life.

What Can I Do To Avoid Getting Fired?

In this period of downsizing, you always have to be prepared for the ax. However, here are important things you can do:

Keep up with all the developments in your field by reading specialized journals and taking continuing education courses. Read articles, attend workshops and cultivate mentors in your field. If you’re let go, you’ll have cutting-edge skills that future employers will value.

Work hard: all other things being equal, the clock watcher is more likely to get the ax than the employee who puts in extra time. It’s frustrating to deal with employees who have an “It’s not my job” attitude. If you see something that needs to be done, just do it.

Focus on your employer’s priorities. Always ask what the priority is and organize everything else around it.

Promote yourself. Being the best at what you do is irrelevant if no one knows about it. To make sure you get credit for your ideas, send a draft to others besides your boss with a request for feedback, or bring up your suggestions at a meeting.

Finally, keep in mind that the best technique for avoiding “jobsolescence” is to initiate change instead of waiting for it.

What Should I Do If I Feel I’m About To Be Fired Or Downsized?

Review your contract (if you have one) or the Employee Handbook to see what it says about termination. Take the time to save and gather copies of your work and important documents, especially letters of recommendation, special notices of awards or promotions. Don’t forget your personal list of contacts and phone numbers. Once you’re fired, you may have trouble taking certain things from the office.

Start looking for new employment. The best time to seek a new job is when you’re already working and have a steady paycheck coming in.

Don’t resign! If you quit, you may end up walking away from your claim to unemployment benefits and severance. If you’re indeed fired, then get ready to negotiate a severance plan. You’ll fare much better if you negotiate a severance package rather than wait for one to be presented to you. As a rule, never accept the company’s first offer. Ask for a negotiating session. You are allowed to take some time to think over the offer and speak to an advisor or attorney.

Once you start negotiating your severance package, get everything in writing. Deal with each issue separately: the cash settlement, medical benefits, stock options, vacation that has yet to be taken, common 401k questions, and so on

Also, always make sure that a lawyer reviews any papers and that you fully understand what you’re agreeing to before you sign anything. In addition, keep a record of your evaluations and reports. This is something that few people do, and can prove invaluable if you think you’re being unfairly discharged. Keeping records will also be helpful in preparing your résumé.

What Should I Do If My Field Is Becoming Overly Crowded Or Obsolete?

There are three types of job skills; work content skills, work transferable skills, and self-management skills.

Work Content Skills, also referred to as professional or technical skills, are the skills that are very specific to an occupation. These skills are what you technically know that enables you to do the job. These “hard” skills are often identified as “qualifications” for specific jobs (knowing computer languages, for a computer programmer; being able to write press releases, for a public relations specialist)

Work Transferable Skills are more general skills, which are useful in a variety of occupations. These skills are typically in high demand. Job searchers often make the mistake of thinking that these skills are not important but they can turn out to be the deciding factor in getting a position over another applicant (critical thinking skills, written communication skills, or research skills)

Self-Management Skills are important, marketable skills that are based on your temperament or personality. These are the skills that allow you to get along with people or to manage your environment effectively.

Many people have work transferable skills and/or self-management skills but they have to become aware of them and cultivate them in order to adapt to today’s continually changing workplace. Getting fired also provides a perfect opportunity to brush up on important computer and/or technical skills that will be important for all future jobs.

How Do I Cope With Getting Fired?

Don’t take it personally. Most of the time it was something that was bound to happen. Getting fired can be an important time of renewal, a time to get your act together. Take advantage of unemployment assistance. Unless you’re in a situation where you don’t have an emergency savings fund and don’t know where your next meal is coming from, you should take this time to sit down to figure out what really want to do. You don’t have to spend weeks or months doing this! But if you take the time to evaluate and plan your life, you’ll be better able to mesh the jobs that you apply for (and get) with your dreams of what you want to do.