Hold on to your job - and bounce back if you lose it

It's time to prepare yourself for a grim job market.

Job security may be unattainable, but resiliency can be yours. Become the employee who's kept on despite layoffs. Or at least make sure you have the skills and contacts necessary to make a pink slip your springboard to a better job.

You'll need to build a foundation of cutting-edge skills, personal likeability, and a well-nurtured network of contacts.

James Thomas is a master of the art of networking. He has worked in the human relations field for about 30 years, most recently as executive vice president of WebMethods, an information technology company.

When a German company acquired WebMethods in 2007, Thomas lost his job. He turned to his extensive network, which has provided him with consulting work as he remains open to the possibility of other employment.

"Of all the people you know, maybe 20 percent fall into that strategic network, those who have your interests in mind, the 20 percent who truly can broaden your opportunities for success," he said. Thomas builds his network by joining organizations and broadly contributing his expertise.

To keep yourself attractive, you need to stay on top of not only the skills in your field but also your computer and Internet skills.

Community colleges offer courses and certifications that can help keep career skills up-to-date.

You might be excused for thinking up-to-date skills and good performance will keep you employed. But that's just the beginning, said Stephen Viscusi, author of the book, "Bulletproof Your Job: 4 Simple Strategies to Ride Out the Rough Times and Come Out on Top at Work." You need to make sure you are the employee the boss wants to keep.

Viscusi said some high performers are also high-maintenance divas, tolerated despite the headaches they cause. The guy who grouses all the time or doesn't get along with others? He's first to go. "They've been wanting to get rid of him. They've been looking for an excuse," said Viscusi.

His four-part strategy (be visible, be easy, be useful, be ready) is equal parts mom and Machiavelli.

How to become visible? Give up telecommuting. "It's easy to fire somebody you're sending an e-mail to," he said. Get to the office five minutes ahead of the boss and stay five minutes later.

Be easy? Cut the diva act. You might even renegotiate your salary down. "Especially if you're over 40 or earn more than $100,000," Viscusi added.

Be useful? Offer to take on jobs your boss dislikes, such as training others.

Be ready to move on if opportunities look better. Keep a current resume, cloaked so your current employer doesn't recognize you, posted on online employment sites.

"You have to be on alert in these times. It's not to say you should work yourself to death, but over the next 18 months, you may not be able to take that two- or three-week vacation," Viscusi said.