Job Security on Shine

Key to job security: good relationships

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I was surprised to see in a recent survey that workers' relationships with their bosses and fellow employees have apparently not been hurt by the recession. In fact, those relationships may have improved during the downturn.

The survey, from financial staffing firm Accountemps, showed that 87% of professionals said they have a good rapport with their supervisors, and 95% said they get along well with coworkers. Those figures are roughly the same as when the same survey was conducted in 2005, when the economy was better.

2 common fears and how to conquer them

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Worry #1: Job Security The reality: In an uncertain economy, employment is far from a sure thing, so it's easy to wonder if your position may be eliminated.…

5 tips for making yourself more valuable to your company

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My company is talking layoffs, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't stressed out about it. Who stays and who goes may come down to things we can't control -- seniority, for instance, or full-time vs. part-time status, or the number of people in a given job category. But there are a few variables that can be controlled, and they can make a big difference in how valuable you are as an employee: Dedication, visibility, and special skills.

Here are five tips for keeping up with the things you can still control.

5 ways to be indispensable

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Everyone fortunate enough to still have a job right now would also like to feel more layoff-proof. Who wouldn't?

Job insecurity is everywhere these days. To decrease that insecurity, check out the advice in

Job-loss anxiety hits 1 in 3 workers

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<img alt="Getty Images" title="Getty Images" src="http://l.yimg.com/a/i/us/shine/work/job_anxiety3323-000072.jpg" align="right" width="250" height="163">More than a third of working Americans are anxious about their job security in 2009, according to a recent Yahoo! HotJobs survey. The feeling is certainly understandable, with rising unemployment and daily gloom from news outlets about layoffs and financial fears. In fact, I'm surprised the number from the survey isn't higher.

8 tips to increase your job security

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<img style="width:135px;" alt="" src="http://a323.yahoofs.com/phugc/wvsQTLXPD1A2/photos/1727062ff25cb937a3e129a07b0bdacf/ori_0a558072529e39.jpg?ug_____DcumrRRb2" align="left" width="135" height="106">These tips for increasing your job security are from Ethan Ewing, a financial expert at Bills.com. First, he offers the bad news about unemployment stats -- and then the good news about how easy it can be to increase your job security! “In the face of rising unemployment, the best thing workers can do is be prepared, financially and professionally,” says Ethan Ewing, president of <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.bills.com/"> Bills.com</a> . He says that the United States lost 240,000 jobs in October 2008, and the unemployment rate increased from 6.1 percent to 6.5 percent. Since the beginning of 2008, U.S. employment has decreased by 1.2 million jobs, with most of those losses occurring in the past three months. Here are Ewing’s practical tips for increasing your job security so you can achieve your career goals.

Getting tempted to shop from work?

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<img alt="Getty Images" title="Getty Images" src="http://l.yimg.com/a/i/us/shine/work/online_shopping_dv609038.jpg" align="left" width="250" height="316">The economic climate is frightful, but the urge to shop is getting so delightful. Right now our jobs have many anxieties because of the economic downturn (at least for many of us).  Who can blame you for wanting an escape? But if keeping your job is a priority right now (as it should be for most people), then consider avoiding the onslaught of online sales while you are working.

Career Coach: 3 ways to save your job

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These days, everyone is feeling the pinch. And as topsy-turvy markets lead to smaller expense accounts, cancelled holiday parties, and even the closing of long-standing companies, it's natural to feel a little skittish about your job security. Declaring doomsday in your cubicle, though, is the last thing you want to do, says Stephen Viscusi, author of Bulletproof Your Job.

Unemployment jumps; hold on to your job!

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There are lots of ways to making sure you stay employed, besides making sure you do a good job. One of the best is to make sure you gain favor with your boss.

"I'm not talking about a brown-noser, but someone the boss likes and who's doing a good job," says Stephen Viscusi, author of Bulletproof Your Job. "Bosses find legal excuses to let go someone they really don't like, nine times out of 10."