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Are you feeling uneasy about your job? Are you panicking about something that might happen in the next few days or weeks? Don’t worry — you’re not alone. People always worry when their colleagues’ attitudes change, or their boss does not give them enough work. Your gut instinct will be the first to tell you something terrible is coming, and your instincts are usually right.
Well, here’s the good news: I’m here to help. In this article, I’ll discuss the top 10 warning signs you need to watch out for and how to prepare your Plan B. Here are three to give you an idea, but the 7th one is not to be missed:
- Poor performance reviews in the past three or more performance evaluations
- No or significantly less work assigned to you
- Seeing a job posting for your job on LinkedIn
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Warning Signs
Recognizing these warning signs requires caution, as they can be subtle yet significant hazards to one’s career stability. Here are some subtle, yet significant, warning signs you need to watch out for:
Ignoring these signs can be a hazard to one’s professional future.
Significantly Less Work
If you’re seeing a significantly reduced work load, chances are that the company is trying to remove your dependency on it and the team, which is a clear warning sign of an impending layoff. If this is happening to you, it is a good time to revisit your resume and update it with your latest skills and experiences.
Unanticipated Role Change
If your role has been changed recently, not as part of a promotion or as part of an anticipated role change, chances are the requirement of your role is being re-assessed by the company. You new role may be easier to perform as there is less work, but always keep in mind that less work means your role is less “important” to your company, and high chances of you being phased out.
Your Job on LinkedIn
Did you find a job posting on LinkedIn that is exactly what you’re doing at work? Or even worse, does it mention the same business division you’re in or has your manager as the hiring manager? It’s super scary and its fairly certain that you are going to be replaced.
Quick Tip
One thing the hiring team commonly does in such scenarios is to add a few skills to the new job posting that they’re sure you don’t have.
The only meaningful thing to do at this stage is to accept the fact that your company is replacing you, and intensify your job hunting efforts to find another job.
Pro Tip
If you think your boss is going to lay you off, it is better to get on the offensive and find another job before you’re laid off. It’s easier to find another job when you’re already on one.
Consistently Poor Performance Reviews
Getting suboptimal scores for your performance review is not the end of the world, but getting consistently bad scores is a warning sign you need to watch out for. These are the red flags telling you something is wrong.
Here’s what you can do. Setup a one-to-one call with your manager and ask for guidance on how you can improve and meet their targets or expectations. Re-assess your goals and targets for the next performance review, check if they are measurable and achievable in the time available. Most of the times, this should turn around the situation for you, but its always better to have a Plan B in case you’re laid off.
Budget Cuts
If your company is performing badly and struggling financially, chances are there is a layoff coming soon. This is because when companies are struggling to stay afloat, it will re-assess its expenses, and one of the biggest expenses for a company is salaries. Here are some things that companies with layoffs usually do:
- Close down a business division that is not a priority, thereby phasing out people who work in that business division.
- Restructuring and keeping only essential roles, terminating all non-essential roles.
- Slashing of salaries, bonuses or any other incentives is also a sign of company reassessing your value to the business.
- Exhaustion of all your annual leaves and other paid leaves, as these are money owed by the company to you. They might ask you to take a break or go on a holiday.
Budget cuts should be viewed as a ‘potential hazard’ to job security, necessitating a proactive approach to career planning.
Exclusion From Projects or Meetings
If you feel like you’re not being involved in important meetings or projects where you’ve played a significant role before, it can be perceived as a subtle sign of the business reassessing the need for your role in that project. Companies do this because they want to remove all dependencies from you on a project before letting you go, so they do this intentionally well in advance so that there is no dependency from you, and you can be safely phased out.
One thing you can do here is to talk to your manager about this, understand the reasoning behind the exclusion. Sometimes it may be because they’re looking to put you into a new project, but sometimes it can also be because they think you’re non-essential to the business.
No More Constructive Feedback
If you’ve noticed a change in the pattern in which you’re receiving feedback from your manager, a sudden change from constructive and value feedback to vague and non-actionable feedback, it’s a red flag. It usually means that they are no longer interested in your growth in the company.
Quick Tip
If your manager has always given you vague feedback, then it’s not a sign or a red flag. The important thing here is a change in your manager’s feedback pattern.
How to counteract this? If you feel like the feedback you’ve received is vague, ask for specifics and actionable insights so that you can improve.
Significantly Increased Micromanagement
Again this warning sign is about a change in pattern. If your manager was always engaging in micromanagement tactics, there’s nothing to worry. But if it’s out of the ordinary, and your manager has started heavily scrutinising all your work than usual, chances are that they are building a case for loss of trust or dismissal. This is a red flag indicating they are planning to fire you.
How to counteract this? Keep track of the work you do and your achievements within the team and within the organisation. This will be useful for discussions with the HR team, clarifying their concerns and demonstrating your value to the team and the business. Sometimes this can save your job, and in cases where your rights as an employee are violated, these records can help you.
Your Manager’s Attitude Changes
Any changes in your manager’s attitude towards you can be seen as a warning sign. Some things to watch out for are:
- Reduced communication with you
- Interfering with your work more often
- Giving you unusually more work
- Using a critical tone
- Apathetic behaviour towards you
Pro Tip
If your manager is showing attitude changes to everyone in your team, chances are it’s not a “you” problem. It can be due to personal life issues, emergencies or work pressure.
Excluded From Important Updates
If you think you’re not receiving important team updates or company wide updates like Townhalls or company-wide announcements, chances are you’re being phased out.
How to counteract this? Be proactive and reach out to your manager regarding these missed communications, try to get back into the loop. This will demonstrate your commitment to the company and your willingness to resolve issues.
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How To Prepare Your Plan B
Just as traffic signs warn of road conditions ahead, certain career ‘signage’ and ‘symbols’ can indicate the need for a Plan B. Navigating one’s career path is akin to driving through traffic, where it’s crucial to pay attention to warning signs along the way. These personal career signs ‘warn’ individuals of potential professional hazards, urging them to prepare accordingly.
Now that you’re almost certain that you’re going to get fired, here’s how to prepare your Plan B. Here are some recommendations:
Give Your Job Hunt a Head-Start
When you start seeing the warning signs, it’s always better to start looking for other jobs while you’re not laid off yet. Other employers love it, and you’ll be financially less stressed. Do your fair share of market research, explore current opportunities and know your worth in the job market.
Levels.fyi is a great tool to do salary research.
Here are some things you can start doing:
- Update your resume using your new skills, experiences and achievements. I highly recommend ItsMyResume for creating the perfect ATS friendly resume.
- Use tools like Resume Checker to validate and fix any errors you might encounter with Application Tracking Systems, and increase your chances to progress to the next round.
- Expand your professional network by attending events, conferences, seminars in your domain.
- Update your LinkedIn profile and get it reviewed by an expert. Get testimonials, endorsements and recommendations from your colleagues before you leave, they help in your job hunt.
- Finally, start applying for jobs before you’re laid off.
I have written an extensive article on 10 things you can try to get back on your feet after a layoff. You can read it here:
Ready Your Rainy Day Funds
In the unfortunate event where you don’t get a severance package from your current employer, and if you don’t have any rainy day funds saved, you might struggle financially until you land on your next job. So its a good idea to save some money and live frugally from when you start seeing warning signs.
Upskill and Invest in Yourself
This is something that you should be always doing and not just at the time of being laid off. When you get some free time, learn a new skill or do some training / certifications.
This is also the perfect time you can consider switching careers or do something new altogether. You got this!
Build Your Personal Brand
Having a strong personal branding will improve your standing in the job market, and also open up new opportunities for you to grow. I have written an extensive blog post on personal branding. You can read it here:
Finally, Know Your Rights
Being laid off can feel like an unexpected ‘accident’, making it crucial to not ‘wait’ to understand your legal rights and options. If you’re being fired, and you suspect that there is something unclear about your layoff, it’s essential you know your legal rights. Read your employment contract, and read about the employment laws in your country. Pay special attention to clauses related to termination, severance packages, and non-compete agreements.
Employment laws and employment contracts have serious implications if they’re not followed as per the law. If you need help, reach out to an labor lawyer, as they will be able to help you navigate the legal jargons and understand your rights.
If you’re based in Australia, here is a fact sheet for termination of employment from Fair Work Ombudsman.
You can read my other articles here:
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