Managing Job Jitters

All this talk about a recession is giving people job jitters, as companies continue to plan and and implement layoffs. Anxiety is understandable; paralysis is not - since there are some things that you can do to alleviate some of your insecurity.



Here a few suggestions:



1. Find a way to "add value" to the organization you work for. During difficult economic time, employers appreciate resourcefulness. If you have ideas about ways to generate revenues, cuts costs, or make better use of existing resources, this would be the time to share them.



2. Be reliable. Show up on time, work hard, and participate as a team player. When employers have to make difficult decisions about layoffs, they may work harder to protect the people that they can count on.



3. Evaluate your marketability and, if necessary, upgrade your skills and your resume. Marketable skills and good marketing tools are two essential elements of "employment security". No one can guarantee you a job; but you are guarantee your own future with a proactive approach to your own career.

4. Expand your network through social networking sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Friendster. That way, if you do lose your job, you won't have to scramble to build a professional network from scratch. And, in the process, you may even uncover some interesting new opportunities for yourself.

5. It's natural to be nervous. But panic is not an option. Rather than passively fantasizing about your catastrophic future, build a constructive career plan that doesn't over-rely on any one person or place.