Bullet-Proof Your Career & Future, by Robin Ryan

Job is security no longer exists. Companies, nonprofits, government agencies - no area is immune to the devastating job cuts today's workplace produces. Layoffs are at an all time high so it's a smart idea to consider ways to protect yourself in this unstable climate. Seniority is no longer the yardstick when employers are cutting back and downsizing their workforce. Every employee is being scrutinized as to their real value to the corporation. This insecure environment makes many employees feel powerless over their long-term future security, and pessimistic concerning their career.

The average worker will have 12 job changes over their working lifetime. Whether you seek to just keep your job, aspire for a promotion, or desire a new job, begin today to prepare and safeguard your future.

Practicing these five steps to help you control your future and remain in the driver's seat of your career and livelihood:

1. Keep progress reports of your accomplishments and update your resume every six months. Keep track of new duties, cost saving measures, and projects you have completed. Make a list each month to include any new professional accomplishments in your work, service organization, associations, community service. Your records should also include new training acquired and any specific results you've achieved at your job. Then be sure to update your resume to reflect these accomplishments so that when a good career opportunity comes along you'll be ready to go after it quickly.
2. Get written letters for jobs and projects well done. Many of us work long and had to accomplish a program, project, cost saving measure, sale promotion. Ask your supervisor if they could put their positive comments in writing. Choose a person who would recognize the value of your contribution - your boss, another manger, or your boss's boss whoever is willing to recognize the achievement and write you a few lines. The important thing is to get the accomplishment acknowledged in writing these become valuable assets when your company starts downsizing and you present them to your boss or the Human Resources Dept. showing what a valuable employee you are. Get letters of recommendation whenever you leave a job or when your supervisor does. Good performance evaluations can also be used to attest to your abilities and attributes. When bad times come you'll have these stack of references readily available and can also use them if you decide to test the waters and look for another company to work for.
3. Choose visible projects. Getting noticed sometimes means volunteering for a committee or dreaming up new projects. Ideas you might implement could include: new office procedures that streamline paper flow, hiring new staff, conducting presentations or training sessions, working on a special projects with upper level executives and other departments. Seek out projects that will be recognized as valuable to management as well as attractive to competitive employers. Remember many accomplishments derived from new projects are a result of your suggesting the idea to your boss or company initially.
4. Develop your list of skills and acquiring new ones. Employers look for people who are flexible, constantly learning and who produce results. List all your present skills and abilities acquired through work, associations, and community service. Target two new skills to obtain in the next year either through reading books, manuals, taking classes or just some extra on-the -job training. Employers value computer skills, communication skills (both verbal and written), teambuilding ability, management, marketing, accounting - to name a few. Select one or two skills that will add to your adaptability and job success and work to perfect them in the upcoming year.
5. Develop your network. Promotions can come from networking well inside your company. And it's also nice to know that using contacts are how two-thirds of all people find their jobs. You probably already have many contacts at your present position, interacting within your organization's different departments as well as outside of your organization. Continuously develop these contacts. Keep track of old bosses and coworkers when they move to new companies. Start collecting business cards at meetings, association events, conferences-- anywhere you meet others. When the ground starts shaking and jobs are looking perilous, these cards will be 'hot tickets' when it's time to job hunt.

No organization will promise you job security. You must manage your own career - security lives in your own ability to find a new job. Map out a plan of what you want for your career at this stage of your life and outline the steps you need to make yourself a highly desirable employee -the perfect way to safeguard your future forever.

Job security no longer exists. Companies, nonprofits, government agencies - no area is immune to the devastating job cuts today's workplace produces. Layoffs are at an all time high so it's a smart idea to consider ways to protect yourself in this unstable climate. Seniority is no longer the yardstick when employers are cutting back and downsizing their workforce. Every employee is being scrutinized as to their real value to the corporation. This insecure environment makes many employees feel powerless over their long-term future security, and pessimistic concerning their career.

The average worker will have 12 job changes over their working lifetime. Whether you seek to just keep your job, aspire for a promotion, or desire a new job, begin today to prepare and safeguard your future.

Practicing these five steps to help you control your future and remain in the driver's seat of your career and livelihood:

1. Keep progress reports of your accomplishments and update your resume every six months. Keep track of new duties, cost saving measures, and projects you have completed. Make a list each month to include any new professional accomplishments in your work, service organization, associations, community service. Your records should also include new training acquired and any specific results you've achieved at your job. Then be sure to update your resume to reflect these accomplishments so that when a good career opportunity comes along you'll be ready to go after it quickly.
2. Get written letters for jobs and projects well done. Many of us work long and hard to accomplish a program, project, cost saving measure, sale promotion. Ask your supervisor if they could put their positive comments in writing. Choose a person who would recognize the value of your contribution - your boss, another manager, or your boss's boss, whoever is willing to recognize the achievement and write you a few lines. The important thing is to get the accomplishment acknowledged in writing. These become valuable assets when your company starts downsizing and you present them to your boss or the Human Resources Dept. showing what a valuable employee you are. Get letters of recommendation whenever you leave a job or when your supervisor does. Good performance evaluations can also be used to attest to your abilities and attributes. When bad times come, you'll have this stack of references readily available and can also use them if you decide to test the waters and look for another company to work for.
3. Choose visible projects. Getting noticed sometimes means volunteering for a committee or dreaming up new projects. Ideas you might implement could include:
   • new office procedures that streamline paper flow
   • hiring new staff
   • conducting presentations or training sessions
   • working on a special projects with upper level executives and other departments
   Seek out projects that will be recognized as valuable to management as well as attractive to competitive employers. Remember many accomplishments derived from new projects are a result of your suggesting the idea to your boss or company initially.
4. Develop your list of skills and acquiring new ones. Employers look for people who are flexible, constantly learning and who produce results. List all your present skills and abilities acquired through work, associations, and community service. Target two new skills to obtain in the next year either through reading books, manuals, taking classes or just some extra on-the -job training. Employers value computer skills, communication skills (both verbal and written), teambuilding ability, management, marketing, accounting - to name a few. Select one or two skills that will add to your adaptability and job success and work to perfect them in the upcoming year.
5. Develop your network. Promotions can come from networking well inside your company. And it's also nice to know that using contacts are how two-thirds of all people find their jobs. You probably already have many contacts at your present position, interacting within your organization's different departments as well as outside of your organization. Continuously develop these contacts. Keep track of old bosses and coworkers when they move to new companies. Start collecting business cards at meetings, association events, conferences-- anywhere you meet others. When the ground starts shaking and jobs are looking perilous, these cards will be 'hot tickets' when it's time to job hunt.

No organization will promise you job security. You must manage your own career - security lives in your own ability to find a new job. Map out a plan of what you want for your career at this stage of your life and outline the steps you need to make yourself a highly desirable employee - the perfect way to safeguard your future forever.