Layoffs (and Louise) in the News

Had a great interview a few weeks ago with producer Elsie Nolan of WBZ-TV, the Boston area’s CBS affiliate, all about how to recognize an impending downsizing and what to do about it.

Article and video clip here.

The bottom line, from my perspective, is that you always need to be alert to what’s happening in your department, at your company, in your industry, and in the economy in general. A downsizing or layoff shouldn’t come as a surprise. But regardless, if you lay the groundwork for long-term success throughout your career, you’ll find the landing much softer and the bounceback much quicker.

Things you should always be doing:

• Stay active in professional associations to build a network of contacts in your profession and/or industry.
• Create visibility for yourself by taking on leadership roles in those organizations and/or reaching out to leaders with feedback, ideas, comments, and compliments.
• Create visibility for yourself at work by volunteering for the tough assignments (and, of course, succeeding at them).
• Share your expertise – whatever it is – with others in your company, your industry, and the whole wide world through articles, comments, blogs, etc.
• Do your job really well! Track and measure your performance so when you say, “I’ve done a great job,” you can support that statement with facts and figures.
• Update your resume every 6 months or so. Be ready for opportunities that will come your way.