PHOENIX - Unemployment is still over 9 percent across the United States, and employees everywhere still fear for their jobs.
Networking website Excelle , hosted by Monster.com , has a new list of 10 things you can do to make yourself “unfireable.”
While we can’t fully guarantee “unfireable” status by following these steps, job expert Michael Hayes does have some specific tips - based on the list - to help you avoid falling into that 9% unemployed.
Save your company money:
“Whether you can save your company money depends on where you work,” said Hayes, owner of the recruitment company Momentum Specialized Staffing.
Someone in charge of supplies can have a more direct influence on spending by bidding smartly, Hayes said, but others can also help their employers financially by making smart suggestions.
Don’t be afraid to present ideas to supervisors if they make fiscal sense, Hayes said.
“It never hurts to bring up something that would save money,” he said.
Stay positive:
“Sometimes, you just need to paste a smile on your face,” Hayes said.
Workplaces can often be very stressful, but that is no excuse for lamenting over every little thing. Negative attitudes can lead companies to believe you don’t appreciate your employment, Hayes said.
“Many places still have the view that you are lucky to have that job,” he said. “You don’t need to tell everyone you are having a bad day.”
Go the extra mile:
Even though you might not be paid overtime, going the extra mile (or the extra 15 minutes) can often go a long way.
If you see other people staying past time, ask your supervisor if there is anything you can do to help out. They might say no, Hayes said, but even running copies for 10 minutes gets noticed.
“Just don’t pull a Fred Flintstone and sprint out the door right at five every day,” Hayes said.
Be a leader:
“A lot of times, being a leader means doing things that aren’t fun or popular,” Hayes said.
Many things done on a daily basis can become routine and boring, but it’s still important that you do them.
Being a leader isn’t always about glamour and adoration, Hayes said—sometimes it’s about gritty work that bears little or no recognition at all.
Don’t be a gossip girl:
Gossip has no place in the workplace, Hayes said.
“It really gets old to comment on everything all day,” he said.
Not only is it annoying, but it can get you in trouble. Some people, Hayes said, might engage you in gossip to learn something about you they can use against you later.
“People can also stop paying attention to you if you are always crying wolf,” Hayes said.
Learn skills to pay the bills:
Having the ability to perform a wide variety of tasks is invaluable to your employability, Hayes said. While formal schooling is an option, there are much cheaper and easier ways to learn.
“One of the best ways to improve your skill set is to join a Toastmasters club for about $7 a month,” Hayes said.
He added that such classes can help with public speaking and organization, two highly underrated skills in the working world.
Another thing you can do to better yourself is to do some research about your field of work. A good way to find information on your industry is to create a Google Alerts account with keywords related to your occupation, Hayes said.
“Instead of going home and watching 'Two and a Half Men', spend half an hour online looking up things in the industry,” he said.
Be agreeable:
Oftentimes, there will be people you work with that you don’t like. Having to deal with everyone well enough to work with them is all part of the job, Hayes said.
“Find some common ground,” he said. “Don’t be pigheaded.”
A helpful tip: Don’t send an email to someone if you’re in the same office—Go and talk to them. Emails can be misinterpreted, and they’re just plain lazy, Hayes said.
Grow eyes in the back of your head—or, be responsible:
As funny as a joke is, sending it out to all your buds at work may not be the best idea.
Most companies have ways to monitor or block certain activity on their servers, Hayes said.
If they find you’re on social media sites three hours a day, even if they’re in the background of your browser, you can get in trouble.
People often have trouble drawing a line between work and their personal life in a digital age, Hayes said.
“It’s very hard to deal with technology—people don’t know how to just say ‘enough,’” he said.
Don’t play hooky:
“There’s a happy medium when it comes to time off,” Hayes said.
Don’t call in sick when you’re not, Hayes said, because it has become increasingly easy to find out if you’re telling the truth through coworkers and, increasingly, posts on social media sites.
“Occasional days off aren’t a problem—but don’t take them when you shouldn’t,” Hayes said.
Nobody likes a showoff:
While being noticed is important, make sure it isn’t the wrong kind of attention.
The person going around talking about how much they’ve accomplished, Hayes said, often hasn’t done much at all.
Hayes added that the best thing you can do is stay humble.
“If you perform your job to the best of your ability, people notice,”
The moral of the story? Hard work does indeed pay off.
Need more advice? Check out the Monster.com advice from the original list .
Have you learned any workplace dos and don’ts in your own life? Feel free to share in the comment section below!
Copyright 2011 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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