Worried About Your Job? Become Indispensable
We are all aware that the job market is facing more competition than ever before, with a rough average of at least ten people battling it away for every one job vacancy (and it’s not unusual for this number to reach up to 100 applicants). If you are one of the lucky ones and have a job, the fear doesn’t automatically disappear. Competition is high in the air as cuts are making themselves more widely known in various areas of the jobs market. So if you are worried about your job security, here are a few tips if you are one of the many uncertain of your job’s future.
Work hard to play hard: We all know the saying; we all have to work hard to play hard. But when you really look into your own work, can you honestly say it is enough? Could you possibly work that little bit harder? The reality is that there are employers who don’t mind texting and spending a little time on social networking sites, they would like you to not take it too far and spend your time working hard too. It’s nice to know that they are getting their value for money, and in general the most productive staff have a better chance to stay if jobs are in threat.
Watch your time keeping: There are plenty of workers who are late to work, take longer than an hour on their lunch break and leave for home early from work as well as having one too many sick days. Your boss will be more aware of these people, and as a consequence will know who to pick on first when it comes to laying off staff. Shine above the rest of them, be on time, and be early if anything just to prove you are serious about your job.
Flexibility is the key: Most employers appreciate it if you can adapt to your surroundings and expand your skills outside of the job you have been trained to do, and let’s face it, we could all do with learning more skills. If they need you to work a little earlier one day and it does no harm to you, then say yes! Working overtime can also show to your bosses that you are a reliable worker.
Work well in a team and offer your help: It kind of goes without saying, but you will be surprised at how many people working in a team only really look after number one. As the saying goes: “there is no ‘I’ in team”, likewise there is no ‘I’ in jobless – think about it, working within a team and offering your help to fellow colleagues will guarantee you will stand out and more importantly keep your job.
Remain positive: If your job isn’t exactly your dream job, don’t let it get you down. Negativity not only brings yourself down, but the rest of your working environment. Your positivity will rub off on people, making it a much better environment to work in.
If all else fails: Be prepared! Plan your finances to ensure that if you do for whatever reason, lose your job, you will be more than ready. If you can, insure your income, draw yourself up a budget (cut out whatever is unnecessary) and look into what benefits you could stand to receive. Then start the dreaded job search (preferably before the rest of your team lose their jobs as well) and expand your search into different working fields.
