The recession changed our opinion about our jobs. It is not easy to find a new job opportunity and our employers are not that bad as we thought previously. It is quite common idea of many people. When they saw a lot of opportunities to change their job, they were just complaining. When they have no chance to change the job easily, they do not complain, they are worried; they will be selected in the next round of redundancies. They want to know how they can keep their job to be secure and not late with the mortgage payment.

It is never too late to secure the job, at least for a while. The employer likes the employees, who are motivated and who have the trust in the company, even when the situation is extremely difficult. The employee has to adjust its requirements and its working habits in the recession as the managers cannot be fully focused on solving the issues of the individual employees and they have to be fully focused on the cost cutting initiatives.

The manager, who has to make decision about the redundancies, selects the employees according several criteria:

1. What tasks the team has to perform?
2. Who keeps the key know-how, which cannot be learned quickly?
3. Whom do other managers in the organization recognize?
4. Who has the best chance to takeover additional responsibilities?
5. Who will help to move the team over the difficult period?
6. Who helps others in the team?
7. Who is the worst performer in the team?
8. Who brings conflicts?

You can say, it is too late to start changing myself, but it is not that late. As the decision about redundancies is done, the manager starts to think from the scratch. The redundancies means, that also some processes are made redundant and the team does not continue in their execution. It is your chance to demonstrate your ability and willingness to takeover additional responsibilities without asking the extra money.

It is sad, the layoff is also a competition. There are winners and losers. Try to be a part of the winning team. But sometimes, it is better to be redundant and starting the career again without repeating the past mistakes.