Avoid the Pink Slip
by Darren Ashby

Since I was given my "pointy hair," I've had to learn a whole new set of skills.ⁱ The trouble is that people just don't follow nice neat rules like circuits do. To be honest, I was somewhat flabbergasted by the way things worked when I first entered management. But true to my engineering roots, I have developed some guidelines for myself as a manager and for myself as an employee. So in the same vein as my previous article, Job Interviews: The Employer's Perspective, I thought it might be timely to dispense some advice on holding a job through the layoffs that are affecting so many right now.

Value

Remember one rule, most companies exist to make money. When your employer starts reviewing you and your coworkers, you need to realize that this is foremost in their mind. This is the question you need to ask yourself. If I had to start all over with just one employee, who would it be? Or in other words, who would most likely make this company a success? In my analysis, this person is the "shooting star." He or she works hard, has great talent, can handle pressure and works well with others. If you ask for something you get it. You don't have to keep checking up on him. You know she is going places. He very directly affects the profitability of the company. Therefore, you must remember that your total value is of top importance. But what if you add value, but no one notices? This can happen, especially in larger companies. My answer is this. It is not bad to toot your own horn a little. A good way to do this, both for you and your employer, is to do a regular self-evaluation. List the things you accomplished last year and compare them to what you did this year. Do you show improvement? If not, commit yourself until you do. Then give that to your boss. He'll appreciate that you look at yourself critically and it's a good chance for him to see what you have done for the company.

Position

Using the same rule as before, most companies exist to make money. They don't do that without a product. So the most important job you can have is one that is directly related to the product. Don't get stuck in a one-off job. What is a one-off job you ask? Well it's simple, a one-off job is one you can eliminate, and still sell product. The ISO9000 "Corporate Coordinator" might sound like a pretty neat title, but when you get right down to it, the company could do without it. If you find yourself in a one-off job, it's time to start looking for a transfer.

Loyalty

It's human nature to complain. Because of that, an easy yet subtle trap to fall into is right by the water cooler. In this trap you discuss the latest smack about the boss. Every leader I have ever met appreciates loyalty. If you succumb to spreading rumors, whether true or false, you put yourself on shaky ground. I am not saying the "pointy hairs" don't make mistakes. In fact, I believe that a good manager only needs to be right 51% of the time to be successful.ⁱⁱ So remember this, they may have their faults, but so do you. If you have a serious issue with your boss that you can't overlook and can't help talking about, you'd better start looking for a new job. Because in today's market, you soon will be.

Effort

This is important for two reasons. First, a great effort can compensate for a lack of skill. Often times the guy that tinkers in the lab for hours on end will get to the finish line faster than the brilliant engineer who spent the morning surfing the 'net. It's all about getting to the market the fastest these days (see rule number one). That is the whole reason MAMAⁱⁱⁱ exists. All the "pointy hairs" want to do is to deliver product, make the sale, in general, to do business. So a supreme effort is usually noticed. Remember the same rumor mill you should avoid yourself can have a tremendous effect on you. You can be known for hard work, or you can be known as a slacker. The choice is up to you.

If the worst happens

Now it is possible that no matter what you do you still get laid off. There are times when a company has to cut deep and there is nothing that can be done. I suggest you take this as best you can, and leave on a good note. If things pick up again, it is a lot easier for a boss to hire someone he knows will do a good job rather than any Joe off the street. So don't burn any bridges.

A final thought

By no means do I consider this list comprehensive. There are definitely other things, such as people skills and a positive attitude, that an employer will consider when making this tough decision. Also, the world is not all sugar and spice. There are sadistic "pointy hairs" out there who give the rest of us a bad name (I just hope they are the exception not the rule). If you have one of those, don't complain, just start looking.

As I said before, this is not a very exact science. There is no "ohms law" for corporate culture. These are things that I have found generally work. If I had to sum it all up there are three classes of employees, the shooting stars, average Joe's, and duds. When it comes time for layoffs, you don't want to be a dud.

ⁱ If you don't get this reference, you must have spent the last several years in a corporate cave somewhere prohibited from reading Dilbert cartoons.

ⁱⁱ If you are right more often, that just increases your success.

ⁱⁱⁱ MAMA means "Management Always chasing the Market Around." A term I coined to explain the somewhat unbelievable decision process that has confounded many an engineer.

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