Why You Can't Always Trust the Company You Work For

There are plenty of great companies out there to work for, but chances are you won’t really know if you’re working for one of them until further down the line. At the same time, you may be blindsided when you’re targeted with a pay cut or worse, lose your job for reasons outside of your control. This is difficult to deal with, especially if you really love your work. However, there are things you can do and steps you can take to mitigate the blow.

Issues With Your Employer

There’s an art to being a good boss—don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. As a worker, there are a few things you can detect from your relationship with them and the other company leadership to determine if you are a person really of value. Why does this matter? If things start to get rough, this may mean the difference between you being called on to help or being cut out to save on payroll.

Think about whether or not your employer ever reaches out to you to provide feedback or suggestions. Doing this doesn’t just mean they care about the project at hand, but also about your career advancement. Not everyone does this, but if you see coworkers getting the treatment while you don’t, something is very wrong. In addition, try to see if you are the last to hear about company news or new projects outside of your immediate orbit. If you can’t really put together a good picture of where you’re at in the company, then you may not be as secure as you think.

If you find yourself not able to trust your current status, a good way to try and turn the tide is to try and get a private one-on-one with the boss and express your concerns, if possible. Sometimes, things are really just a misunderstanding. If things go beyond this, just try to remain professional and do your best work while keeping a paper trail to prove that you are doing just that.

Market Uncertainty

Along with issues with the people running their company, there is also the fact that nothing is guaranteed in business. You may be a valued person, but the money may not be there to retain you. The job market is an ever-shifting thing, so try to keep your eye on business developments to see if your industry is on an upswing or headed towards rough waters.

In some cases, for many reasons, it won’t be blatantly apparent that your company is doing poorly, and perhaps even headed towards closing. The best way to handle this is to keep an eye out for some telltale signs of a sinking ship. These include:

• Sudden lapses in communication where there wasn’t before
• Perks for employees drying up
• Workflow beginning to slow, and no one reacting
• Constant bad press
• Executives beginning to leave rapidly

These aren’t always indicators that things are going to close, but when you start seeing these details around you, it may be time to start looking elsewhere.

How Can I Prepare?

When you’re with an untrustworthy company, your best defense is being ready to move elsewhere. If you see that things are headed south, try to quietly reach out to people in your network that you can trust and ask about opportunities. Sometimes, you may just want something to pay the bills while you work on the next stage of your career.

Equally important is beginning to update your resume for the new job search. Add some of your accomplishments at this job. If you’re switching fields, change your resume appropriately. This can be a bit rough if you’re trying to juggle multiple responsibilities or aren’t the best writer. No worries–just use resources like the resume samples found here. These can help you put together a great outline to add your own information

There’s a big difference between being paranoid and being prepared. Paranoia is thinking that your bosses and coworkers are out to get you for no arbitrary reason. That’s not what we’re talking about. However, a business’s goals are always going to be what’s best for that business (in theory), and those values may not align with your own. In addition, there is always going to be a certain ebb and flow of economics, and sometimes your job may be caught in that wave. Having up-to-date job materials and a basic plan in case things go wrong is just good practice as a worker, making sure you’re never completely off guard.