In view of the ongoing economic turmoil, it is projected that many employers will inevitably find themselves having to downsize. And in any given organization, there is really no knowing whose job will go and whose job will remain. People who have been involved in these things before will tell you that it is not always the worst performer who is shown the door first when axe starts swinging. This is to say that if your performance during the last appraisal was sterling, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you will necessarily be the last person onboard. And it doesn’t either mean that the guy who got a ‘lackluster grade’ in the last appraisal will be the first one to go. It does mean that every needs to be prepared for the axe, so it doesn’t catch them unawares should it happen to fall on them.

You can take some steps to ensure that should the axe on you, it doesn’t at least catch you unawares. You can, for example take a fresh look at your resume, update it and revamp it. In preparing for axe, you can also start taking professional networking more seriously, and revive your network if it has died or cooled off. With the advent and growth of the Internet, nowadays it is relatively easy to start and get a network going soon. And while still at it, you might also consider brushing up your memory on interviewing skills. And finally, even as you prepare for any eventuality that might come your way, just don’t focus too much on the axe, lest it fall on you.