how to keep your salary in a recession

The risk of unemployment looms over many people right now. Few feel that their jobs are secure. Though most companies have already cut back on staff numbers they may impose further rounds of redundancies. Although many lose their jobs through no fault of their own, there are methods too avoid being selected in future.Here's some steps to staying a survivor.

1. Become an expert. Be known in your organisation as the go-to-guy or gal for a specific function. If you have specialist skills that others don't this makes you indespensable.

2. Bring your ideas to the next level. Think about how an idea may be practical and implementable instead of rejecting it due to cautiousness. If you can make your managers idea work through your efforts to get it off the ground; even better.

3. Be optimistic. By staying cheerful in the face of adversity you'll be seen as more resilient and a positive asset for team morale. It's natural to become gloomy and view events as all doom and gloom, but this has a very powerful negative effect on your colleagues. Don't hang out with the whingers.

4. Keep informed of events in your department and company. Stay up to date with what's going on in your industry and take more of an interest in your competitors. Share this information with your managers. This shows a genuine interest in your company.

5. Offer to take on extra work. But only if it is a project that interests you. Volunteer to stay late every now and then, before being asked.

6. Dress up. It's amazing how people let their standards slip when they fear impending job loss. By looking your best and wearing smart clothes, you appear smarter.

7.Stay put. By moving to a new employer you risk being the last in, first out with no rights. If your employer does make your position redundant, there is no shame in that anymore. You may also miss out on a redundancy payment or other entitlements which your current employer would provide. This could be the opportunity to change career or invest in your education whilst you job search.
But hopefully it won't come to that and you can keep your job that bit longer if you take these tips onboard.

10 tips: what to do when you've been laid off

1. The first thing is to get yourself a routine...on your terms of course.
2.Getting up at the same time each morning wards off angst and makes you feel more in charge of your life.
3.Aim to spend at least a third of your day doing jobsearch stuff. That does'nt include surfing the web reading jobsites.
4.Get out there. Meet people, lots of your mates have probably lost their jobs too and you can vent your frustration with them but stick to coffee and avoid hitting the bottle. Easier said than done of course. But it's the road to ruin, emotional and financial.
5. Become an expert in a topic you love. Blog about it. It gives you focus and a presence.
6. Commit an act of kindness. Volunteers report being happiest than the rest of us. Contributing in some way to your community is sociable, educational and uplifting. You never know where it may lead
7. Seek advice. Ask people continously for their opinion on your job search activity. From CVs to what type of jobs might suit you, everyone loves to give their viewpoint and you will get insights that didn't occur to you.
8. Never ask directly for a job, see above. By asking for advice people will tell you when they hear of something suitable.
9. Try your hand at things you've always wanted to do but put off due to lack of time and energy
10. Join as many associations and clubs as you can, get free invites to conferences,sometimes just asking the organisers works a treat. The more events you attend, the more people at work you meet, which translates to hearing about more openings.