I am just a little late with this post, but I was still keen to post as it was an interesting read, well so long as you are not on the end of the scenarios below.
The article is from Rebecca at www.theladders.co.uk, still I she has missed a couple of signs, not been invited to the pub at lunch time and conversations suddenly stopping as you walk in to the canteen, oh what horrible times!
Jobs in Jeopardy: TheLadders.co.uk Checklist for
At-Risk Executives
Executive Careers Site Maps Out Warning Signs and Offers Tips on
How to Protect Your Career in Turbulent Times
London, 21st November: – Is your job safe? UK unemployment is rising at its fastest rate in 17 years, amidst widespread projections for more belt-tightening throughout the remainder of 2008. TheLadders.co.uk, the UK’s leading the senior executive careers site, has put together a culling checklist for high-level workers feeling threatened by the current market.
TheLadders.co.uk checklist highlights the telltale warning signs that your job is at risk and helps employees to protect their positions in periods of corporate cut-backs.
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WARNING SIGNS |
BEST DEFENSE |
WHAT NOT TO DO |
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You’re not invited: You are closed out of staff meetings or omitted from mass distribution meeting requests and e-mails. |
BE VISIBLE: An omission can be an honest mistake or a warning sign; address it immediately. Make sure your boss and colleagues know the value you bring to the team. |
DO NOT HIDE: There is a temptation to lay low until the storm passes; that is a mistake. If you are dispensable at a meeting, you are even more dispensable as a line item on a budget. |
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Your job description shrinks: Your workload is diminishing; key tasks are being transitioned to other employees.  |
STEP UP YOUR GAME: Be flexible.  Step into any job and help the company move forward. Attend voluntary meetings and make your presence felt. |
DO NOT SIT ON THE SIDELINES: If your responsibilities seem to be waning, don’t be idle until you get new ones; this is a time to be proactive. |
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You can’t get anything done: Planned projects are put on hold; your priorities don’t match up with the company’s goals. |
DO SOMETHING: Check in with your boss; keep the lines of communication open. If your project is put on hold, find a new one. Show that you are willing to adapt and accept new responsibilities. |
DO NOT WAIT: Your project may never get back on track; digging in and waiting for a brighter day isn’t an option. |
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You have a new boss: Your company brought in a new boss for your department as part of a merger or reorganisation. |
BE SUPPORTIVE: A new boss can be a sign of expansion or contraction, depending upon the premise on which they are retained. The best leaders cannot function effectively without a strong supporting cast. Become vital to your new boss’ success and you become essential. |
DO NOT PLAY POLITICS: Entrenched, long-time employees often fall victim to office politics. Don’t be a roadblock to progress. You cannot stage a successful coup in the current environment. |
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Your company is not doing well financially: Sales projections, earnings and other indicators of financial strength are all in the red. |
BE READY FOR ANYTHING: Despite best efforts, you might not be able to avoid a mass layoff. Be ready to take action: get your resume ready; update your network; stay involved in professional organisations; and take the pulse of the job market in your industry. |
DO NOT BURY YOUR HEAD IN THE SAND: Read the writing on the wall and heed the counsel of trusted individuals who have more visibility than you do. Sometimes, job hunts can take from three months to a year; be prepared for this eventuality before it is a reality. |
“It is easy in these turbulent times to panic about the stability of your job and perhaps act in haste,†says Derek Pilcher, Managing Director of TheLadders.co.uk. “Employees need to keep their options open but at the same time they mustn’t lose focus on the job they are already doing. Be prepared at work to put that little bit extra in and voluntarily take on a little more responsibility so that you are indispensable. Keep networking in your businesses’ industry and don’t be tempted to run away and hide from the current climate – embrace it and you will come out fighting on the other side.â€
Derek Pilcher, Managing Director of TheLadders.co.uk is available for interview. For more information, please contact Ken Hooper at Cherish PR, Tel: 0208 996 9545 or email: ken.hooper@cherishpr.com
About TheLadders.co.uk
TheLadders.co.uk is the UK’s leading online recruitment service catering to the hi-end £50K+ job market. Launched in January 2008 the London-based company is the first port of call for senior executives to keep their finger on the pulse of the elite job market, with a suite of services including access to the most £50K+ jobs in one place, links to the UK’s biggest corporate employers, agencies and headhunters, CV critiquing and customised profiling, regular email alerts and an environment to prospect for new opportunities within the country’s biggest industries – finance, sales and marketing, legal, technology and operations.
TheLadders.co.uk is owned by TheLadders.com. Founded in 2003 by Marc Cenedella TheLadders.com has grown into the largest specialty employment website in the world, with over 1,900,000 members and over 35,000 recruiters. TheLadders.com is headquartered in New York with European headquarters in London. To see more, please visit www.theladders.co.uk
