How to Save Your Job If You Are About to Be Fired

How to Save Your Job If You Are About to Be FiredHow to Save Your Job If You Are About to Be FiredMaybe youve suddenly found yourself bumped from your biggest projects, or moved to the top of your bosss list of scapegoats. Whatever the reason, if you see signs that youre about to be fired, you cant afford to stick your head in the sand and hope it will pass. While certain aspects of your relationship with your employer are beyond your control for example, if the company is doing poorly, no amount of effort on your part will alter that there are some things you can do to try to save your job. Talk to Your Boss If your boss knows youre on your way out but cant tell you yet chances are that shes doing her level best not to talk with you. Your goal open the lines of communication, without looking desperate or like a stalker. This is easier said than done. If theres a layoff coming, or youre about to be fired for another reason, your manager has every incentive not to talk to you. For one thing, theres the chance she might give something away for another, unless shes a monster, the odds are that she feels pretty bad about the situation right now, regardless of how youve been getting along. Your best way forward is to look for opportunities to connect that arent associated with impending doom. In other words, talking about your day-to-day work is good, while insisting on getting the lowdown on your future with the company is very, very bad. If your boss will talk to you, and you feel a certain level of comfort in the conversation, it may be safe to ask how things are going. Let her know that youre always interested in hearing constructive criticism on your performance. This is particularly useful if your relationship with your employer is only just starting to sour. Make sure youre willing to practice what you preach, and take seriously any feedback you receive, and take steps to show that youre improving. If your boss wont talk to you at all, youll at least know that things are beyond salvaging, and will be able to make other plans. Join a New Team Sometimes, managers and reports just dont connect, through no fault of anyone involved. If you feel like you and your boss no longer see eye to eye, it might be time to look for openings on other teams in the company. You can get a fresh start without rolling over your 401k and starting over somewhere else. This is also a good approach if the issue is that your department is on the chopping block, and youre facing a layoff. Look for teams whose budgets and headcount seem to increase every quarter. Thats the safest place to weather any coming storms. Look for Essential Projects Quick what does your company do? If its like most organizations, it has a core product or products that are the grund for its reputation and business. If youre looking for a new home at the company, getting closer to these projects will help you stay off the layoff list. Do Some Soul-Searching Most compani es do annual reviews, but a year can be a long time in your tenure at an organization. Ask yourself whether youre still meeting your goals and making progress on needs-to-improve areas. If you come up short in own assessment, make a plan to remedy the situation. Then, make sure that your boss knows what youre working on. On the other hand, if you feel like youre doing what you should be doing, think about whether youre communicating that to the right people. Politics is perception, even on a small scale. Its not just what you do, but what youre seen doing. If youre someone who shies away from tooting your own horn, remember that no one knows how hard youre working unless you communicate that to them. Its not bragging if its true, and if you dont tell your boss what youre doing, someone else can claim credit. Ask to Be Laid off Instead If youve tried to fix things with your manager, improve your performance, and ally yourself with another department, and cant make it work, you ha ve one last card to play ask to be laid off. Youre more likely to be eligible for unemployment if your termination is considered a layoff rather than being fired for cause or quitting. From the employers perspective, a layoff might be preferable, too, even if it means paying out unemployment because they can require you to sign a document stating that you wont pursue legal action for wrongful termination. This is a cost savings for them, as well as a better situation financially and professionally for you. In any case, it cant hurt to ask. When Its Time to Go Finally, its important to musiknote that sometimes, your number is just up. If you get the sense that youre about to lose your job, whether through a layoff or by being fired, now is the time to update your resume, make coffee dates with former colleagues, and connect with old bosses on LinkedIn. Start looking now, and maybe by the time your pink slip hits the mail, youll be well on your way to your next gig. Whatever you d o, keep it professional and keep your chin up. Some of the most successful people in the world have been fired from jobs and gone on to great things. One reversal isnt necessarily a judgment on your abilities today or in the long run. Take what youve learned, and move on to bigger and better things.