IT Recession

Janet Banks suggests raising your profile when layoffs seem imminent.

1)      I'd love to say it's your work on relevant projects, but attitude is probably the single biggest thing you can control, and it will impact how you perceive yourself and how others perceive you. It's much easier to deselect a sour, negative person than someone who is constructive and creative.

2)      I don't want to pigeonhole people, but tech work often attracts introverted people. And most business people are extroverts, so they are not going to know how an introvert is thinking. So you need to take risks and put yourself out [there] more -- offering constructive ideas.

3)      Hunkering down is an illusion. You have the payroll sheet with everybody's name on it. Nobody is invisible, and you can't hide. Everything is being assessed: every project, every person. And if you're not visible in a positive way, it's easy to say, "I won't miss him."

4)      The ability to play multiple roles. For me, the most important would be a capacity to identify with the business as opposed to just the tech role. In companies I've worked with, there have been terrific examples of people in IT who really became business leaders. Art Ryan at Chase came from that world and became CEO. But he was always identified with how to make the business more profitable. That's a [mind-set].

5)      The people who do it well do it from an honest effort to be supportive to their boss, and it starts with having a relationship that is built on trust so you can give honest feedback. You can't manufacture that in a crisis; it's something you need to be working on whether you're worried about your job or not. Kissing up is when people hear you talking out of two sides of your mouth. You say one thing to the boss and another around the water cooler.

6)      Phony behavior is spotted a mile away, so the empathy has to come from your authentic self.

7)      Sometimes it's not personal at all: If a project is gone, you're gone. Sometimes there's nothing you can do about it. But at end of the day, how do you want to feel about yourself? Did you give it your best?

Plan B

No job protection plan is foolproof. As you do what you can to keep your job, it's wise to also prepare for the worst. Here are some things you can do now:

• Determine what you're good at and what you enjoy most.
• Revisit Myers-Briggs or other tests you've taken over the years to gain a better understanding of your strengths and weaknesses.
• Read self-help books for inspiration.
• Update your résumé.
• Network.
• Consider a creative leap to a different kind of job.

Adapted from Harvard Business Review