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How to help ‘bulletproof’ your job
Let your boss know if your spouse is seriously ill. Don't ratchet up the amount of time you spend on the job surfing the Web. And always leave work five minutes after your boss, so it looks like you're always staying late.
These are simple ways for riding out these tough times, according to Stephen Viscusi, career coach and author of the recently published book "Bulletproof Your Job."
"This is a jobs depression, and it's not the time to take really long vacations or be on Match.com," said Viscusi, who also hosts a syndicated radio show. "It's time to perfect the art of looking busy and making sure the bosses like you. Nobody's gonna fire someone they really know or like."
If you find yourself about to get a pink slip, consider negotiating your salary, Viscusi said.
"If it's really about the money or the bottom line, take a smaller salary," he said. "It will still be better than finding another job, losing your benefits and having to sit through humiliating interviews, and you can use it as an opportunity to look for something better. If they reject that idea, then you know it's not really about the money - they just want to get rid of you."
And keep tabs on your company: Set up alerts on Google and Technorati with your company's and bosses' names so you can monitor the news and online chatter they generate, Viscusi advises.
Give co-workers a little slack
Gas prices are still high, spending is tight and economic forecasts are grim. Combine that with an annoying co-worker in the next cubicle, and you've got a recipe for some serious office rage.
Tom Musbach, managing editor for Yahoo HotJobs, gives these suggestions to prevent an angry or off-color comment from escalating into a workplace brawl:
» Don't take it personally. Often times, a co-worker's irritability is not related to the job but instead something that happened at home.
» Let people vent. It's better that they voice their grievances than stew on them.
» Walk away. Use the restroom, get a cup of coffee or use any other excuse to get yourself out of the situation.
» If the incident is severe or repeated, you may want to document it and consult with the company's human resources department.
"Make sure you focus on specifics and particular behaviors," said Musbach. "But if it's a one-time thing, or just that they're rude or annoying, you've got to give them a little space."
Overspending leads to bankruptcy
Overspending has become the leading source of personal bankruptcies in recent years, according to a recent study from the University of California, Davis, Graduate School of Management.
Previously, illness and unemployment were the primary reasons, said Ning Zhu, an associate professor of management and author of the study.
The American Bankruptcy Institute reported more than 2 million bankruptcy filings nationally in 2005.
Zhu said debt caused half of all recent bankruptcies, while unemployment caused 13 percent of filings. Medical problems accounted for 5 percent.
He said bankrupt households have bigger mortgages and higher car loans and credit card balances than households that keep their finances in the black. At the same time, bankrupt households earn half as much money as those that remain solvent.
The research paper recommends bankruptcy law reform to prevent people from intentionally using bankruptcy to deal with excessive debts.
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