Keeping Your Job

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Keeping Your Job

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Steve Jones - SSC Editor

Posted Saturday, November 24, 2007 3:22 PM

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Comments posted to this topic are about the item Keeping Your Job

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Post #425452

Loner

Posted Sunday, November 25, 2007 1:06 PM

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I can only say one thing - 'KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT, DO WHAT YOUR MANAGER TELLS YOU EVEN IT IS STUPID !!! DO NOT GOSSIP, PEOPLE GOT FIRED (THEY ACTUALLY SHOWED IT ON TV AND MAGAZINE.)!!!!'

Will I be happy to work this way ? Probably not Sad

But it is better to lose a job because I refused to follow my manager's stupid way to do the project. Even I found the proof that it did not work and in reality it did not work in the test system. Still he insisted to do it his way. I got angry and refused to follow his way. So my director had to lay me off even he knew I was the best developer in the whole group. He said he wanted the group in harmony.

After I left, another developer left too. All of sudden they lost two developers. I really wanted to know how the director and the manager felt. I also wanted to know how the CIO felt because this group was re-organized and the manager was in charge of this group for only 3 months and 2 people left. I wanted to see their review next year.

Anyway how do keep my job is different from how do I get a good job and keep it?

Post #425508

majorbloodnock

Posted Monday, November 26, 2007 1:17 AM

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Years ago, my brother made sure he learnt how to make a deccent cuppa. His reasoning was that anyone who makes a good cup of tea isn't going to be the first to be laid off.

Semper in excretia, sumus solum profundum variat

Post #425583

Andy Warren

Posted Monday, November 26, 2007 6:00 AM

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Steve, you're not going over to the dark side are you? Don't tell me you're going to start suggesting employees stick to a schedule and check in with the boss unrequested?

I'd like to see some tips along the lines of your ed about telecommuters as they are often the ones that go first due to having less face time with the powers that be.

Andy
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Post #425699

jay-h

Posted Monday, November 26, 2007 6:51 AM

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Keeping a job often has more to do with human skills rather than tech ones.

Are you dependable?

do you treat co-workers (even problem ones) with respect?

Are you willing to assist outside your core job?

Being quirky is usually not a big problem if you are perceived as being able and willing to get in there when the going is tough.

...

-- FORTRAN manual for Xerox Computers --

Post #425735

Steve Jones - SSC Editor

Posted Monday, November 26, 2007 7:36 AM

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I'm suggesting that you fit into the culture. Not that you agree with everything or even that you are afraid to disagree about decisions, but work within the culture. To try change things you don't like from within, follow the rules and ensure you don't stand out as someone that doesn't get along.

I've been through 5 layoffs in my career. The people that were the first to go were often the under performers if they didn't get along with the boss. It was rare to have telecommuters, but they weren't targeted. Next to go were those who skills were easily replaceable or transferred to someone else. If you were the "only guy" working on some system, you were typically left alone.

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Post #425756

majorbloodnock

Posted Monday, November 26, 2007 7:54 AM

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Steve Jones - Editor (11/26/2007)

If you were the "only guy" working on some system, you were typically left alone.

In the longer term, though, I've found that being "indispensable" is a really bad strategy too. Companies know full well that if one person has a hold over them, that person can use the leverage to advantage, so it's worth the company's while spending to either avoid or get themselves out of that position.

In short, if you're the only person who knows a system, you may well find the company's been working hard to get rid of that system - and you in the process.

Semper in excretia, sumus solum profundum variat

Post #425772

Steve Jones - SSC Editor

Posted Monday, November 26, 2007 8:52 AM

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It can be if you hoard information. However I've seen that often a company doesn't want to (or doesn't have time) to upgrade something and no one wants to work on it. So someone gets "stuck with it".

What layoffs come, it's hard to get rid of that person in the short term.

That does and can change, so don't bank on being the only person knowing that system for the next round of layoffs. Be sure you are working on your career in the meantime.

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Post #425835

Greg Young

Posted Monday, November 26, 2007 11:36 AM

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Your value is relative not only to your own job but to the job your boss has and to the perception the organization has of both. If you can't directly relate your value to the company's bottom line then you are dependent on your boss doing it for his group and you are just another resource to make that happen. The bigger the organization, the more dependent you become and the more vulnerable you are to being just another red "X" on an org chart when the been counters dictate a cut. If your boss is the red "X" then it's even more important you can describe your real value added to his boss or his replacement. It's not an issue of getting along or being quirky - it's all bottom line in a big organization. If you can't show you are contributing, you are toast at some point.

Regards,

Greg Young

Post #425930

Greg Young

Posted Monday, November 26, 2007 11:39 AM

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Greg Young (11/26/2007)

...the been counters dictate a cut...

Freudian I guess... should be bean counters although in this context "been" is appropriate.

Regards,

Greg Young

Post #425935

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