FW: Recession proof your job

We are all hearing bad news left and right. Satyam has axed 4,500 people ,HP has announced cuts of a whopping 26,000 people. So while we may not be affected today , what can we do to make us secure in the future too. Here is something that may help

This article is sourced from http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/quickiearticleshow/3458791.cms

Enjoy reading it.

Recession-proof your job

By C Mahalingam, TOI

All economies and industries go through the cycles of boom and depression. It tests the resilience and tenacity of corporations and individuals alike.

The following quote is attributed to Warren Buffet: "It is only when the tide runs out, we will know who has been swimming naked."

Naked or not, it does hurt every swimmer! The current slow-down is taking its toll in terms of job losses and gloomy scenes at engineering campuses.

Here are some suggestions for IT professionals, to help secure you to your seat during this turbulent weather.

Build your brand:

Building a brand is more than just being visible. Brands communicate certain attributes like trust, value, quality, owner's pride and the like. It would be worthwhile to stand before the mirror and take a test to figure out where we are in terms of these attributes.

Those who score high on all the attributes have a much better chance of their jobs being protected. Professionals can and must evolve into brands and become recognized for their contribution value and dependability.

Be active in social networking sites:

This will help understand where the business is headed and what the industry trends are. By networking with the right people and professionals, you will be able to make sense of the information overload. Find comfort from dealing with positive-minded people inside and outside.

Become an internal trainer:

During difficult times, training budgets are usually scissored to save money. However, smart organizations understand that the cost of not training is much higher than the cost of training. This dilemma is overcome often with identifying talented and competent internal trainers.

They can add tremendous value as they combine technical knowledge with the uniqueness of the organization and its requirements. By opting to be an internal trainer, you increase your value to the organization many-fold and secure your job a lot better!

Walk the extra mile to delight your customers:

The only job security any time (good or bad) is a delighted customer. There simply is no substitute for this. And smart employees know this all the time and go that extra mile every time to delight the customer. So, think smart and hard on finding ways to serve your customer even better.

Stay away from rumour mongers:

During difficult times, the rumour mill is very active. Rumour mills spread negative vibes and usually involve bad mouthing the organization. Being part of this rumour mill only increases the negative emotions and distances yourself from the decision makers.

Be seen in the right crowd and never bad mouth your organizations. Smart employees know the first ones to go during difficult times are those that bad mouth the organizations.

Learn niche skills:

Look around, talk to your managers and HR folks to understand the niche skills that your company is scouting around for. Difficult times also need people who can win new customers and help businesses to stay afloat. Acquiring such niche skills can help you become valuable and many times even critical for business survival. Invest in personal development.

Become a bit of a business scout:

Many of us working closely with clients know what makes our clients lose their sleep and how we can help them get better. It makes your job that much more secure if you contribute to building the business, no matter how small it is. Successful companies have always grown by farming the existing businesses and all of us can play a role in looking for such opportunities.

Build bridges with key people in the organization:

It pays to be in the right company. This is more than making 'fair weather friends'. It means working actively with your managers to keep client delight high at all times, helping colleagues to tide over their problems and helping business excellence teams with process improvements. Organizations tend to care more for such value creating employees even during difficult times.

(The writer is the chief people officer at Symphony Services Corporation)