Admit it. You think you deserve more credit at work, more respect from your co-workers and MORE money in your paycheck. Admit it. Your boss doesn't know how valuable you are to the company.
That may be how you really feel but, right now, most of us are just happy to have jobs. New labor numbers were just released yesterday and the employment picture doesn't look good. In the Peoria Metro Area, the jobless rate spiked back up to 9.6 percent in June, up seven-tenths of a percent from May and the highest it's been since the recession started. Nationally, statistics show more than 90 percent of the nation's largest metropolitan areas saw their unemployment rates jump from May to June, as well.
So, what can you do? Sometimes it's unavoidable. Companies are cutting jobs and there might not be anything you can do to save yours. But there also might be small changes you can make on the job that will give the boss the impression that you're a keeper. Here are some ideas from Woman's Own Magazine and "The Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbook : Work" about how to avoid becoming downsized.
Make Yourself Seem Indispensable - Master the jobs no one else wants. Offer to the do the billing, sort the mail, replace the toner, or clean out the office fridge. (One guy I know transferred out of his division at Caterpillar and took a position working three, twelve-hour, overnight shifts on weekends. Months later, most of the people in his old division are without jobs. He might not have the greatest hours but he's still got a job.)
Offer To Organize Social Events : Organize office parties, picnics and holiday gatherings. Become the "go-to" person and maintain a password-protected database of contacts and suppliers.
Propose Ways To Save The Company Money: Suggest that employees use second-day postage rather than express, turn off the lights in unused offices.
Get Your Name Out - Write an occasional article for the company newsletter or speak at a company event.
Start Wearing Glasses - You'll look more intelligent.
Okay, I don't know if that last idea is supposed to be a joke or not but it's on the list. I do have glasses and always FEEL more intelligent when I'm wearing them but I'm not going to put a lot of stock into that one. Let's say it's a joke because otherwise it sounds absolutely ridiculous!
Good Luck!
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2 comments:
This just in: The Vision Council of America has released a study in which 59.2% of people surveyed said that someone wearing glasses looked "intelligent." Hollywood agrees. Think of all the movies in which the smart girl or the scientist dons a pair of specs.
Put them on, it can't hurt!
Enough said. From now on at work, I'm wearing my glasses. :)
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