Globe Careers

Globe Careers @ The Globe and Mail
extracted from Bulletproof Your Job: 4 Simple Strategies to Ride Out the Rough Times and Come Out on Top at Work ~ Stephen Viscusi

Be Visible
~ Work longer. But just a little. Arrive at work 5 minutes before your boss and leave 5 minutes after she does so she'll think you're always there.
~ Look gorgeous. A really good haircut, a pair of expensive shoes and a professional wardrobe will get you noticed.If your teeth are stained, get them whitened.
~ Get organized. Have a neat work station and use a notebook to keep track of details.
~ Silence is not golden. Even if you're an introvert, get into the habit of asking questions and speaking up. And be articulate.
~ Raise your hand. Volunteer to lead projects no one else wants.
~ Strut your stuff. Make presentations: attend conferences; be your employer's goodwill ambassador.
~ Spread the love. If you like your job and your employer, let them know you're a fan and a loyal company person.

Be Easy
~ Seldom is heard a discouraging word. Don't complain. It may taste like swill, but don't whine about the office coffee or anything else.
~ Watch your Ps and Qs. Be delicate about your language, never use profanity.
~ Try a little kindness. Be respectful, never sarcastic or conscending, bullying or ridiculing.
~ Check your other life at the door. Leave your personal problems at home.
~ Speak no evil. Don't gossip. Know the office scuttlebutt but be careful what you offer up in the gossip pool.
~ Keep all the balls in the air. Never let on that you find your job stressful. Your employer may think you can't handle it.

Be Useful
~ Share your brilliance. Mentor and train others, particularly newbies. When you support new employees, you're assembling a cohort of allies, people who are your "sleeper cell of support and intelligence seeded throughout the company".
~ Pinch hit. Offer to step up and help out when someone else bails or leaves the company without completing a key project.
~ Become a go-to person. Develop an area of expertise or a specialization that others lack, becoming the person everyone consults on certain questions.
~ Yes, it is your fault. Be accountable for your work. If you screw up, take responsibility.
~ Stretch. Take initiative by doing things that aren't in your job description.
~ Support your boss. Sure, you'll be sucking up but "your boss is your job".

Be Ready
~ Stash your cash. Having money in the bank will strip away the fears you may have of losing your job, allowing you to keep your options open.
~ Be your own best reference. Your file should contain your resume, copies of awards and congratulatory letters.
~ Have friends in the right places. Network. Help others in your network. Establish a relationship with a recruiter. Keep abreast of what your peers are doing in your field.
~ Perform. Publish articles about your expertise and find opportunities to speak in public.
~ Imagine a new job. Brush up your interview skills by revisiting the process and answering all the questions a potential interviewer might ask.
~ Get smart. Upgrade your skills through continuing education.