In good times, when the pendulum swings in the right direction, people get hired to fill needs with the anticipation of growth and often silly inane expenses get overlooked.

However, when the pendulum swings the other way, even paper clips will be counted and your job may show up on the expendable expense column of the company excel spread sheet.

Here are some ideas how you maybe able to avoid being a casualty of hard times:

1. Blend in and you could be setting yourself up to get blown out. If business in your company is going south it’s a sign that even more things are going to happen - if they haven’t already.

The wrong time to blend in or hide is when business is tough. Looking like you’re an average commodity may accelerate the perception your job has less value. When you blend in with other workers and managers you may be losing that important competitive advantage.

Everyone is uniquely different and you must make that uniqueness a competitive advantage. Don’t be afraid to be different and don’t think that simply following the crowd will keep you employed. Companies are likely to throw out babies with bath water.

2. Being a scaredy-cat won’t help. Fear is both a mental and physical reaction to something that may (or may not) happen. It’s hard to disguise the body language of fear; people around you are likely to catch on to your feelings.

What is most likely to keep you employed is the ability to overcome obstacles. You may have little control over a situation, but that is no excuse for throwing up your hands and giving up.

Don’t just stand there looking good and wait for things to happen to you. You don’t want to show up on the radar screen as excess baggage because that’s the first thing to get unloaded.

3. Use other people’s strengths to become more effective. People around you can help your success. Hang out with winners, watch what they do and think about how they can help you.

If you’re not running the team,department or company don’t let your ego tell you it’s simply because you have been overlooked. It may be a wake up call that you need to learn more and sharpen your skills.

Surround yourself with people that are the best at what they do, you may be able to catch a halo effect and pickup better habits.

When companies thin the ranks they try to save muscle and cut the fat. Your job is to get fit and strong. Play with the strongest people around you at work and expand your networking.

4. Give the news media a cautious eye. The media feeds on bad news to spice up stories often making small problems into huge news stories. Be careful of reacting to hype.

Balance what you hear and see with the reality of your experience and knowledge.

Trust your instincts, be a calm thinker and use your brains. Act on what will help you survive.

5. Dare to be different and see change as opportunity. When job markets get tight and the economy tanks, make the paradox of advantage work for you:

Changes and problems open new doors of opportunity

People willing to take chances and not give up when things get tough will most likely be the winners in both good times and bad.

Copyright 2009 Brian J. Bieler –Reprints welcome so long as byline and article are published intact and all links made live.

Brian J. Bieler is the author of Powerful Steps and The Sales Operator. He draws on thirty plus years of experience as the President Viacom Radio Group and VP/General Manager of seven broadcast companies. He is a one-one-one leadership coach and consults companies on strategic planning and sales development. Visit www.brianbieler.com or e-mail Brian at brian@brianbieler.com.