How to Stay Employed During Layoffs

Many companies have had to resort to laying off their employers due to financial instabilities. Some use the Seniority rule, which means the person who has been employed the longest will stay the longest. Others use the job classification and work ability rule, in which the most qualified to do more than one job would stay before a less qualified employee.

When starting a new job, you are given a job classification and a list of job duties on your first day. Over a period of time other job openings become available that you may feel qualified to do. Maybe even a temporary position comes available. This is when you should jump on the chance to expand. Learning another position means that you are useful at more than one job and have the abilities to move around. The more you know the more the company can use you. When layoffs begin, and you can do more than a one person job, you are more in demand. The company can pay one person to do two peoples job.

Learning new jobs goes hand in hand with getting to know the Supervisors, other department employees, and keeping a good relationship with all departments. Make your self known. Get your name around the Company. Volunteer to do extra work and never say no, unless it is an immoral request. If your are capable, try it out. If anything, you gave it your best shot. This is a very important strategy, because if they don't know you, or your capabilities, what reason would they have to keep you over someone else.

Although you may think that you have heard striving for success over and over again. Let me tell you first hand that these are the strategies I use, and I have made it through 3 layoffs over a period of 10 months, and I am the youngest employee in my company by age and years of service. Out of 650 or so employees, there are approximately 75 employees left, and because of my job capabilities I have made it through successfully. Although this may be temporary, I have extended my employment as a customer service representative for a GM and Chrysler Supplier through both bankruptcies and very thankful.

All though this is not a 100 % guarantee that you will not get laid off, this may prevent you from staying laid off for a long period of time.