In looking at the employment landscape, statistics will surely say that jobs are hard to come by and in many cases, hard to hold on to. Besides the unpredictability of the economy, employers’ moves are hard to keep your finger on to. So, I was simply thinking the other day that the millions of individuals who do have a job and are holding on to them have maintained them, I would imagine, not just by pure luck as some would say but by a combination of efforts on the employer’s part and their part to. And with that said, I wrote down 7 strategies from my own experience and observations that I hope will help and or inspire others to not only maintain their job, but flourish and find some satisfaction in doing them.
1. Show up and be present: With all the distractions of life, i.e, family, children, older parents, school, and more; we all can get on overload and lose focus on the job at hand when trying to get through a work day. It’s important to find your own personal outlet, whether that be yoga or meditation for example, that will help you get focused and prioritize those things that keep you on task
2. Get clear on your employers expectations: It’s always important to go into a new job or new job responsibilities with a clear cut understanding of what your employer expects of you. This can be accomplished through scheduling a one on one meeting with your immediate manager. Let him or her know that how you see your job lines ups with what they want to see accomplished.
3. Don’t be afraid to show initiative: Once expectations have been defined and goals set are understood, begin to think how you can exceed both. Think above what the basics are for accomplishing your job tasks, projects and responsibilities. Keep an ear open to what’s being said around you and a keen eye on what’s been done so far that may not have completely addressed an issue or problem. Additionally, volunteering for projects that have been targeted to resolve those very problems, is another way to demonstrate initiative.
4. Keep out of “water-cooler” conversations: Hanging out at the water cooler will only create or stir up troubles you were not looking for or want to attract to yourself. Remember you are at work to do a job which you are being paid to do. Keeping focused will get you much further in getting things done and recognized.
5. Meet deadlines and do you job well: An employer will always (or at least they should) appreciate an employee who meets a deadline and demonstrates a genuine attitude of doing a job well. It’s also a good idea to keep your own personal records of all your efforts and accomplishments, because at some point you want to have reference of it, especially during performance appraisal time.
6. Search out a mentor: A mentor can be someone who is open to give you insight on how to best navigate the waters in your corporate culture; and also an individual you can bounce your thoughts off of to get the right perspective of the path you hope to follow.
7. Learn to listen more: As the saying goes, we have two ears and one mouth, so it can be to your benefit to listen twice as much as you speak. It’s also important to be very mindful to who and what you are listening to. Do a gut check to see if it lines up with what you know, understand, and want to learn that will help you flourish where you are.
Of course these are not all inclusive strategies or ways to keep your job longer, but just my thoughts on how you might begin to have longevity in whatever job you are in or are pursuing.
Please feel free to add your own thoughts and opinions to the subject matter.
HR Brain for Hire 
I would like to comment on number 3. From experience, you have to be careful about showing too much initiative because it may make someone else feel threatened. Be sure that you are in an environment that welcomes initiative because some may mistake it as you are trying to take their job if they are insecure in their own setting.
Point well taken. Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts and comments.
This topic might seem a little fuzzy. In a way, it’s another way to look at some of the above topics. I think it’s a useful perspective to keep in mind though.