TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Well, a lot of people have said the bare truth: get your resume
circulating, and don't look back if a great opportunity comes your way.
This should be your standard practice anyway, no matter how much you love
your job.
As a person who has lived under the very real threat of layoff for the
past year, I would recommend networking hard both inside and outside of
your company, but whenever you do, do NOT dwell on the negative
possibilities that confront you. Dwell on the positive contributions you
can and do make, keep up the appearance that your company is a great place.
But you have to toughen up to the fact that every person in the company
is expendable. And when you go, anything that you don't get to walk out
the door with is gone. One important caveat: DO NOT leave any personal
files on your computer at work, ever. When layoffs happen here, they call
the employees into an office and someone comes behind them and seizes the
computer off their desk. You get no last chance to get on your system.
