How do I not lose my job?

My twenty years of experience as a career coach have taught me that there are a variety of factors that might lead to the loss of a job. Some of them are beyond your control, such as the fact that your company is making a loss. This department will no longer exist. Your position has been eliminated as a result of a recent business consolidation. However, some of the factors that might lead to a layoff are ones that are within your control. For instance, you may not be reaching your performance standards, or the chemistry between you and your employer may not be as good as it could be.

Even if you can't make yourself immune to being laid off, there are actions you can do to increase the likelihood that you'll maintain your job in 2012 and beyond. How to do it:

Comprehend the order of importance.

Unfortunately, you can't merely satisfy your personal performance standards in the Darwinian business climate that exists today. The key to being successful in the employment arena is to first grasp the plans and goals of your organization as well as the priorities of your manager, and then to coordinate your job performance with these factors.

Be flexible, robust, and adaptive. One vice president of human resources that I am familiar with was able to maintain her position by radically altering the method in which she worked and putting into action several cost-cutting initiatives that led to a large reduction in HR costs. In spite of the fact that she had spent the better part of the previous three years working largely with external partners, the Vice President promptly complied with a new directive from the company to bring all of the training and coaching in-house.

Mastering the art of boss management is essential.

You should make an effort to properly grasp both the management style and the demands of your employer, and then you should accommodate to those styles and needs. Learn how to communicate information and ask questions in a strategic manner, while also doing it in a way that reflects the communication patterns of your supervisor. Find strategies to make the work of your employer more manageable. Inquire: "Is it absolutely necessary for you to deal with that? Would you want me to handle it for you?" One of our customers, who was a new Senior Vice President of Compliance at a company, was able to keep his position by taking over some of the day-to-day tasks of his supervisor. He was ultimately successful in increasing his profile inside the firm and making his boss look to be less of a micromanager as a result.

Maintaining and enhancing your own brand is essential.

One of the most important components of successfully keeping your job is to promote yourself in a subdued manner. Participate in meetings and make your thoughts known when it's suitable to do so. You should share the results of some of the research you've conducted with a colleague in the firm who could find it valuable. Donate your time to serve on the board of directors of a senior executive's preferred charitable organization or on a committee that a senior officer of the business is a member of. Send the items to your coworkers that were published in the business press that you think they will find interesting and beneficial.

Acquire a comprehension of the culture

The easiest way to find yourself out of a job is to act in a manner that is in direct opposition to the culture of your employer. When the goal of the meeting is to reach consensus on anything, you shouldn't air your disagreements openly. During his first month on the job, another one of my clients who was a senior attorney did just that. He is not employed by the company any more.

Even if you're an introvert, it's important for firms that place an emphasis on corporate camaraderie that you participate in company activities, such as parties and lunches. Even if you may prefer to read during your lunch break, it could be more productive for you and your coworkers to play a game of foosball together.

Master the art of playing office politics.

Office politics is something that a lot of people despise, which is why some of them opt not to participate in it. Nevertheless, if you are politically tone-deaf, you run the risk of making errors at work that might result in you losing your job, despite the fact that you may be quite competent at what you do.

Political actors who are astute often have guides or shepherds who are able to assist insulate them from the effects of business downsizing. How can you get a corporate protector? Participate in the official mentoring program that your employer offers if it is available. In addition, you should ensure that the outcomes of your work are beneficial to others. During the third round of layoffs at her employer, one of my customers who was working on an employee relations wiki was able to keep her job by recruiting the Chief Technology Officer and the head of product development to join her team. These two executives became her guardians in a short amount of time.

Continuously work on bettering yourself.

Always keep an eye out for new methods that you might improve your performance as an employee. You are setting yourself up for failure in the corporate world if you do not regularly read professional publications or attend at least two conferences each year. In addition, you should enroll in at least one self-improvement course each year (maybe one that focuses on leadership development or the development of interpersonal skills), which can be directly used to improving the quality of your job. Get yourself a reverse mentor if you feel like you're a Luddite when it comes to social networking. This is a younger coworker who can teach you the ropes and guide you through the process.

Recognize the significance of even the smallest details.

Many of the lessons that you were given while you were in kindergarten are still relevant today: Be orderly. Always be punctual. Always say "thank you." Never start a battle with someone. Share. Offer your congratulations to those who have achieved achievement. We are excited to have you join the team!

No matter what happens, you must always be ready for the worst.

Even if you've followed all of the actions in the preceding sections, there's still a chance that you'll be affected by reorganization or layoffs. Therefore, you should make it a point to ensure that you are constantly discreetly looking for your next job, whether it be within or outside of your current organization. You should make it a goal to attend at least one networking event every three months. This will force you to go outside of your comfort zone and introduce you to at least five new individuals. Then, make sure you don't forget to keep in contact with them. Make sure that your LinkedIn page is always up to date so that potential employers can see what you've been up to. Your LinkedIn connections are alerted to any changes in your profile whenever you make modifications to it. The more you do to maintain your visibility in the professional world, the simpler it will be for you to find your next position.