4 Ways to Recession-Proof Your Job

It’s no secret that the unstable economy is making most workers feel uneasy about their jobs.  A new survey by CareerBuilder.com reveals that 26 percent of workers worry about losing their jobs more today than a year ago and 35 percent said the workplace has become more competitive because of a fear of job cuts. Forty-nine percent of workers say their resumes are not up-to-date.

“It’s an unsettling time for U.S. employees as the nation works toward creating a healthier economy and job market,” says Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources at CareerBuilder.com. “The important thing is to be prepared and stay productive within your organization.”

Here are some tips for making yourself recession-proof at work:

• Seek out additional responsibility. Show you can wear many hats within the company by volunteering to take on different responsibilities. Try to get involved in long-term projects.
• Be a team player. Establish yourself as someone who proactively shares information and resources and tries to help benefit the work of others.
• Offer up ideas. Propose ideas for cost-savings, improved efficiencies or new revenue streams to help your company weather the storm.
• Toot your own horn. Keep a current record of your accomplishments and contributions to the company, quantifying results whenever possible. Share new highlights in a project update email to your boss and other supervisors who may benefit from your accomplishment and make sure to give kudos to others involved in the project.
• Stay positive. Keep focused on the task at hand and don’t let rumors impact your productivity.

If you’ve experienced a layoff already, don’t get discouraged, Haefner says.  It may take longer to find a job, but there are still companies out there hiring in a variety of areas such as healthcare, sales, government and education. Here are job hunting tips for workers who have been laid off:

• Finding a job is a job. Commit to looking for a job two to three hours per day.
• Transfer your skills. Look at how your skills can apply to other industries that may be hiring. There are universal skills that employers will search for such as strong communication skills, problem-solving, project management, etc.
• Leverage social media. Join various social networking sites and consider blogging to showcase skills, experience and creativity.
• Study job postings online. Job postings clearly spell out what employers are looking for and employers often use electronic scanners to search for keywords in their job postings. Update your resume using some of the same keywords as they apply to your experience.
• Make yourself more marketable. Consider taking this time to go back to school or obtain a certification in a classroom or online.
• Stay active. Consider volunteering.  Most employers views this as a relevant experience and it can help expand your network.