With the sudden downturn in the economy and a slowdown in economic growth along with rising unemployment levels, a ‘churn’ has been observed in most of the jobs in the market. This is applicable even at the “C” level positions, which include managerial (chief) staff, such as CEO or CFO, etc. People are voluntarily shifting from one job to another for small wage-gains and to seek a job before getting sacked from their own jobs. However, if you are being sacked for any past criminal offense, you should immediately consult the Houston criminal defense lawyer.  

Signs of Termination                              

If you are still working with a company despite the economic downturn, and have been delivering above-average performance for quite a few years now, a sudden change of events could leave you nowhere if you are not prepared. Remaining alert and keeping an eye on some of the signs that might point toward the possible termination of your contract in the near future is the first step toward getting yourself ready for any such situation. These signs could be anything that has not been a trend in the past. For example, if you are not called to a staff meeting to discuss an important project, or not invited to a company-sponsored event unlike your colleagues, or if you are not given as much workload as you were given in the past, – and if it forms a pattern – then you should consider it an alarming signal for a possible redundancy that might occur in the near future.

How to Prepare Yourself?

You should always be prepared beforehand lest something happen which is not in your favor. According to HR professionals, there are two significant dates, which you should regard as a ‘turning point’ in your career in a situation where the worst could happen. These are January 1^st and July 4th. These two are the holidays between which you should take time out to review and update your résumé, pay close attention to what is going on in the labor market and the industry that you are affiliated with by scanning the newspapers and watching the news. Asking around and getting in touch with a former colleague who is working in your target company, and keeping yourself updated on the performance of all the companies you are aiming for certainly helps during such a time.

Update Your Resume and Plan Ahead of Time

An important aspect that I mentioned previously is to have an up-to-date résumé at all times. You never know when you might need it. Instead of wondering why things are going the way they are and waiting for the moment you are forced to leave your job in search of a better opportunity, you should be ready to tackle anything beforehand by having a definite plan of action and a revised résumé to present before a prospective employer. Always have a plan about what you are going to do in the worst situations. What jobs to search for if you are terminated, the CV that you are going to present, etc. Moreover, revise and make changes in that plan as necessitated by the prevailing circumstances.

Many people got downsized as a result of the economic downturn. However, they made a mistake of not being prepared for the situation and often waited for months before landing a new job or even beginning to search for it. This made the situation worse than it already had been. In such a scenario, there is another useful tip. Along with having an updated résumé, have your references ready, and make sure that they recommend you positively for your targeted position.