The ten best ways to recession-proof your job

In the first of a new series on how to fight back against unemployment, we look at how you can recession-proof your job...

I'd love to be sitting here writing about how employment figures are improving, how the future's looking brighter, and how all is well with the world.

Unfortunately, however, I'm not. And that's simply because the latest employment data from the Office of National Statistics indicates that the outlook remains... well, nothing but gloomy.

In fact, in the three months to July 2009, the number of unemployed rose to almost 2.5 million - the highest level in 14 years. Meanwhile there were only 431,000 vacancies. According to the Daily Mail, this means there were almost six unemployed people chasing each available post - a pretty scary statistic to say the least.

The prospect of redundancy is likely to be something that almost all of us have thought about over the past year or so - and most (if not all) of us will know of someone who has lost his/her job. So in the first of this two-part series, I'm going to show you how to fight back against unemployment by safeguarding your job.

Recession-proof your job!

If you don't want to be made redundant, the first thing to do is make sure you hold onto the job you already have. Of course, in some cases, this will be completely out of your control. But in others it won't. If your boss is choosing between having to let you go, or someone else, you want to ensure it's not you! And that means making yourself indispensable.

So here are ten top tips to help ensure that happens:

1) Be visible

Make sure you stand out from the crowd - ie, your colleagues. Get yourself noticed by taking an active interest in all office issues, and make constructive suggestions during meetings. Make sure your boss is aware of your achievements so that you can prove you're a valuable member of the team.

It's also a good idea to make an effort to get to know people in your office - if you let yourself slip off the radar, it'll be far easier for your boss to let you go than if you're a familiar face!

Finally, this is not the time for slacking or turning up late to work - so make sure you're punctual each day.

2) Get the job done - but on time

You'll impress your boss more if you knuckle down and focus on getting the job done to the required deadline. You might think that by staying late each night, your boss will be really pleased to see you working so hard. But in fact, your boss could be thinking the exact opposite as it could be seen as a sign that you're struggling to get your work done on time and that you can't cope with your deadlines.

3) Be positive

No one likes a grump in the office who does nothing but moan and whinge all day. So stay positive and make it known how much you enjoy your job. Your boss is far less likely to let go of a happy, smiling, friendly worker, than one who continually brings down morale - after all, if you do keep moaning about your job, your boss might believe he/she is doing you a favour by asking you to leave.

4) Take on more responsibility

Jump at any chance to take on more work and volunteer to help out where necessary. If you think you can manage more responsibility, chat to your boss about it - just don't aim too high if you don't think you can realistically cope with the increased workload.

5) Be honest

Always be truthful when talking to your boss - even if what you're about to say isn't really what your boss wants to hear, he or she will appreciate it more if you're honest than if you try to skirt around the issue or make empty promises.

6) Start networking

It won't do any harm if you get in touch with former bosses or colleagues to find out whether there are any job opportunities out there. That way you'll know if you have something to fall back on should you lose your job.

It's also good to attend networking functions on a regular basis to get your face known. Of course, you should do all of this with an air of discretion - after all, you don't want your boss thinking you're desperate to find a new role.

7) Update your CV

If you're happy in your current job it's easy to forget about updating your CV. But if you've been in the same role for a long time, this could mean that your CV is severely out of date. And if you suddenly get made redundant you're going to have to spend a lot of time sorting it out.

So make sure you're prepared and update your CV now - then if you do lose your job, you'll be ready to hit the job market immediately.

Here are a set of CV tips that should point you in the right direction.

8) Update your skills

Similarly, if you know some of your skills have become a bit rusty, get out there and sign up for some courses to get your skills up to scratch. Not only will this mean you're better placed against your current colleagues, but if you were later made redundant this would put you in a better position when applying for jobs. Don't forget to ask your employer if there's a training budget you can take advantage of.

9) Think carefully before jumping ship

If you're thinking about leaving your current job, make sure it's not a case of out of the frying pan and into the fire. If you quit your current position and end up working for a company that runs into trouble, you could find yourself 'last in, first out'.

On the other hand, if you stay put at your current job, you may find there are opportunities for you to move to a new role internally. So don't be too hasty in your decision-making.

10) Get to know your boss

Believe it or not, your boss is a human being who has a life just like yours. So make an effort to get to know your boss - maybe invite him/her out for lunch or a drink from time to time. Just make sure you don't appear overeager, otherwise this could go against you - and you may end up being unpopular with your colleagues.

So hopefully, these ten tips will help protect your job and keep your career moving forward.

Don't forget to keep an eye out for part two which will provide some positive advice on what to do if you have been made redundant and how you can get yourself back in the job market. Good luck!

More: The brighter side to redundancy? | Unemployment insurance is still cheap