- Your boss does not talk to you anymore.
- Your boss talks to you in a simpler "transactional" manner...."I need this" or "can you please get this" or "have you done that."
- You receive less and less assignments.
- Your boss or superiors are more courteous than usual without explanation.
- You are moved into less prominent digs "for the sake of structuring".
- You overhear rumors that involve you name.
- People smile, but do not engage in conversation.
- You company contributions are being re-positioned into lesser light.
- Sales are falling and you are not being asked to help fix it.
- You are not part of the "save the company" team or solution.
- No new work comes your way.
- The company is taking steps to consolidate and downsize in other areas.
- Assets are being sold off.
- Cash is scarce and even little purchases are being challenged.
- Your support staff is let go, or reassigned.
- You're reassigned. Right in the middle of a big project you were working on.
- Your taken off distribution of new documents issued within the firm you once received regularly.
- You get that feeling that your not being taken seriously.
I could go on, but you get the general point. Once you start seeing the signs the countdown is on. You need to take steps to secure your future. Steps like:
- Making sure what you created is in your possession off site and secure.
- Reduce the amount of personal stuff in your office to a bare minimum.
- Understanding it is not personal...it is business.
- Using you time wisely by planning for the future and making contacts.
- Shoring up your existing internal contacts with friendly notes and external contact data verifications.
- Preparing your resume and quality examples of your work.
- Writing off site a more detailed plan for your future...and then work the plan.
- Start looking for your next assignment now while income is still flowing.
Good Luck...and remember to "be observant"...nothing is worse than being "blindsided" by a layoff or out right firing.
