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How to Sell Yourself When Your Job's at Risk
Posted by Daisy Wademan Dowling on November 13, 2008 11:53 AM

No one, aside from bankruptcy lawyers, can feel secure in their jobs in the midst of the current economic mess. But constantly checking your company's stock price isn't going to change anything. Nor is lingering by the water cooler and snooping for details of the impending layoffs and the severance packages that come with them. It's natural to feel anxious, but those behaviors aren't going to protect you from what might be coming down the pike. The real question now isn't "Are you at risk?" It's "So what are you going to do about it?"

The recent Harvard Business Review article "How to Protect Your Job in a Recession" offered several pieces of advice for managers facing possible job loss: maintain a cheerful attitude; be flexible; be a good corporate citizen.

Here's one more. Remember that old saying that "every job is sales?" That's exactly what you need to do right now: Sell -- yourself.

In my work coaching rising superstars, I've noticed that these consistently high performers tend to fall into one of two categories:

people who let their good work speak for itself
people who communicate their value to their bosses, peers, and direct reports - and to everyone else, too.
When it comes to getting paid and promoted, the second group usually does better. And in bear markets, they tend to survive.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not advocating that you brag - or that there's any substitute for strong performance. What I am offering are specific, actionable ways to self-promote, gracefully and with integrity - ways to put yourself forward as someone the organization needs to keep. In this mess, you can't afford not to. Here's what you should do:

Send an e-mail to your boss praising a young employee's work on a recent project. You'll look like a team player - and a thoughtful manager - while drawing attention to your group's success. It's a nice thing to do for your direct report, too.

Ask your boss for feedback on your priorities (rather than your performance). Make a list of your key projects and goals for the next six months, and walk through the list together. Message to boss: I'm both thoughtful and action-oriented.

Find a teaching moment. Gossiping with your peers about the subprime mess doesn't demonstrate leadership. Taking the initiative to get all the recent college hires in your department into a conference room and explain what "subprime" means does.

Get in early. Don't work longer hours, just earlier ones. Senior people tend to be early birds - and they'll notice if you're there. Remember, you don't know who's making decisions about the names on that dreaded list.

Daisy Wademan Dowling is the author of Remember Who You Are (Harvard Business Press, 2004) and a regular contributor to Harvard Business Review.