Defying the Downturn

From a sidebar on page 36 in the 9/14/2009 edition of BusinessWeek magazine, here are 5 tips for keeping your job (and my comments -- and Key Coaching Qs -- in green):

1. Get Ambitious - be prepared to work long hours, take on difficult tasks, and relocate if necessary. A raise? Don't hold your breath. I like the 'get ambitious' point, but not sure that the flippancy of the last sentence is called for. Key Coaching Q: What absolutely and positively needs to get done today and what will it take to get it done before turning off the lights tonight?
2. Get Positioned - Identify bosses who are moving up or are overwhelmed. then volunteer to help. Aligning yourself with an 'overwhelmed' boss is good, counter-intuitive, thinking. Coaching Q: Who could benefit most from having you apply your natural talents and skills to a problem they're grappling with?
3. Get Creative - Suggest ways to save your company money or generate new revenue - and play a role in the effort. I've you haven't done -- that is, already aren't doing -- this, it you're likely already at significant risk. And there's nothing flip about that whatsoever so you better get those creative juices flowing ASAP. Coaching Q: What are 5 improvements that you know can be made without disrupting ongoing operations or processes?
4. Get Noticed - Recessions are no time to fly under the radar. Tell bigwigs about achievements but avoid shameless self-promotion. I agree with the radar comment. Better than you telling bigwigs about your achievements, do such good work that others can't help but tell the bigwigs about what you've been up to. Coaching Q: How can you meaningfully increase your impact ... as in TODAY.
5. Get Networked - Be indispensable. Work with other units and stay in touch with newfound allies -- you may need them later. Indeed, in the distant past, it' was "WHAT you know"; and more recently, it was "WHO you know." And, while those both are still important, it's "who knows YOU" that helps most these days. Coaching Q: How are you helping others get to know you better than they already do?!