As a career employee, you’re looking for a company where you can make an impact throughout your working years. Unfortunately, nowadays, it’s almost inevitable that professionals will face a downsizing situation in their company. This can cause professionals to become displaced, having to find a new job and start over at a new company. This is especially true for employees of medium to large companies.

If you’re an employee looking for practical ways you can survive your company’s next downsizing, continue reading. The following entails four practices you can utilize to help secure your place in your company.

Embrace Change

Change is inevitable. Even when the economy is booming, companies have to constantly evolve to secure their foothold and increase profitability. By simply accepting that change will happen, you are putting yourself in a better place.

Likewise, it’s important that you have realistic expectations. Even the most seasoned professional is at risk when companies explore downsizing. So, it’s best not to automatically assume that your job is secure. When employees have unrealistic expectations and are resistant to change, they often overlook opportunities to prove their worth to their company.

Work on Your Communication

Make sure to keep the lines of communication open with your supervisor and upper management. If appropriate, schedule recurring meetings with your supervisor and elicit feedback on your performance. By asking for frequent feedback, you will be able to correct any habits that your supervisor and other managers find less than favorable.

Improving the lines of communication will also establish that you truly care about your work and your company. Meeting with your supervisor frequently will also establish trust and may make you privy to information much earlier than if you didn’t have an open line of communication. This will enable you to prepare for any possible layoffs. It can even position you in-line for a job promotion.

Establish Your Value

Always looks for ways you can increase the effectiveness and efficiency of your company. Aim to implement at least one improvement each month. And be sure to share it with your supervisor so they are aware of your efforts. If you think of a time saver that falls outside your scope of work, don’t be hesitant to share it with the powers that be; just don’t spend too much time thinking of ways to improve others’ work. This may come across as you not doing your job.

Another way to establish your value is to redefine your role. If you have experienced a decrease of work, brainstorm other areas in the company that have deficiencies that you can fill. Set up a meeting with your supervisor to discuss the deficiency that you have identified and your proposed solution. This will not only increase the services you offer the company but also establish that you are a capable of creative problem solving.

Always Evolve with Your Company

As previously discussed, companies are constantly evolving. If you want to establish a career with a company, you will also need to evolve. Never, ever become complacent. Instead, look for ways to move with the company and increase your offered skills.

This wasn’t the job I was hired to do, but as the need of my employer changed, I embraced change. They wanted writers, and I started writing. Now, I enjoy writing credit card and personal finance articles and hopefully you enjoy reading my articles.

There are a variety of ways you can evolve your skills, starting with reading. Find some high quality blogs and journals that you can follow on an on-going basis. They will help you stay on-top of industry trends. Also, don’t hesitate to enroll in webinars and college courses. Many companies will even reimburse their employees for course expenses. There are also trade organizations that you can join that host training events and seminars that will keep your skills sharp and increase your knowledge.

If your company is evolving and you’re unsure what steps to take, ask your supervisor for tips. They will value your initiative and concern.

This is a guest post by Stephanie Phillips from www.creditdonkey.com.