Left Behind After a Layoff

By Anthony Balderrama

Everyone is feeling the pinch of the current economic situation, both on a personal and professional level. At home, we're making fewer impulse buys and postponing vacations. At work, executives are cutting back on company perks and having to let some employees go.

All in all, life feels tough.

Another layer to add to your stress is what happens when you're one of the fortunate workers who still have a job. Fewer people working means more work is piling up, and ultimately it lands in your to-do stack. But with budgets frozen right now, how do you deal with the fact that you have more to do and no extra pay to compensate?

"As an employee, you want to make sure that work is delegated fairly and that you get paid for the work you do," says Lauren Milligan, host of the business radio show Livin' the Dream. "Your employer, on the other hand, needs all the work to get done and doesn't want complaining and negative attitudes. Is this a constant push [and] pull relationship? It doesn't have to be."

Think about the future
You might not feel like looking ahead to sunnier pastures when you're up to your neck in work, but in this situation you probably should. Taking on new responsibilities and increasing your productivity is not only good for your current job, but it's also a huge boost for your career prospects. Milligan advises job seekers to keep a running list of their job duties -- the ones they were hired to do and the ones they added on.

"Making a list of this work is so important," she says. "If a manager asks what extra things you've taken on, you don't want your answer to be a sputtering, 'All kinds of stuff!' Documentation will keep your thoughts organized and clear." Plus, as you take on these roles, they become part of a routine, and a few months or years later when composing your résumé, you won't remember everything you did. A list can be more accurate than your overworked memory.

"Once you have [made your list], take a look at what skills are required to properly complete these new tasks," Milligan suggests. "Are you using new skills that weren't required under normal circumstances? Congratulations! That's something to add to your résumé."

Milligan also encourages job seekers to add a bullet point to their résumés that highlights how they outlasted one or several company layoffs. Then discuss how all the extra work you accepted became a good experience. Her example:

"Accepted new responsibilities due to a company downsizing. These were ultimately added to my normal role because of favorable recognition from management: Conducted monthly auditing, processed federal compliance reports and headed the finance committee meetings."

In the meantime
Just because you're in good shape down the road doesn't mean your life's any easier right now. The last thing you want is to resent your job, especially at a time when your boss considers you reliable enough to handle extra responsibility.

"Is your boss seeing a team player, or someone who is seething about taking on more work? If you fall into the latter category, try to see the big picture," Milligan recommends. "Would you rather have been the one who used to do this work ... the one who is now looking for a new job?"

While you might consider that a grim, if not drastic, approach to the situation, it can make you understand how valuable you are at the company.

"Think long and hard about why you still have your job, while others don't. It could be that you're more productive or capable," Milligan says. "It could be because you volunteered to sit in the dunk tank at the last company picnic. Heck, it could even be because your salary is lower. Whatever the reason, that reason is an advantage that others didn't have and it is the reason that you are still earning a paycheck. That has to count for something."

According to Milligan, you can be thankful for your situation without being miserable. A tough economy is no reason to be unhappy.

"If you just can't shake the feeling that you're being taken advantage of, by all means, get your résumé out there!" she says. "You might want to scope the market even if you feel good about your job, because any type of layoffs can mean an uncertain future."

No matter how you feel about the situation, don't be the resident sourpuss. Your grievances might be legitimate, but exuding negativity can still harm your career, either today or in the future.

"[If] you do feel that you're getting the short end of the stick, keep your attitude in check. Will this boss be a future reference? Ten great years at a company (or any length of time) can be quickly erased with a 'that's not my job' attitude," Milligan cautions. "The kinds of employees that employers want are the ones who see challenges, rather than problems. Just keep building that résumé and keep your head in the game."

Anthony Balderrama is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com. He researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.

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