CareerMysteries

More thoughts on setting the stage for not being the next layoff victim are perhaps a tad more subtle than obvious.  In addition to the fact that you should make every effort to buddy up to the boss, be careful what you say to him.

 For example, I would suggest that you refrain from asking questions regarding layoffs or the possibility of employment reductions.  You want your supervisor to have the impression that a layoff would be a major shock to you.

By suggesting that you have considered whether or not you may be laid off now or in the near future, you are giving away a little bit of power that you could otherwise dangle over his head, in a sense.

In other words, if he knows that you are thinking that you may be let go at any time, he will feel relieved that you will not be shocked by this happening, and thus, he may be more apt to select you for termination than he would another employee, who he perceives would be shocked and emotionally distraught.

Everyone has heard about those nut cases who have been fired and then come back to the office with a revolver or rifle (south of Mason-Dixon line), shooting their supervisor and anyone else he sees who may have snubbed him in some way in the past.

Terminating people is very stressful business for the managers.  They are constantly gauging the potential reactions of people to bad news and are fearful of those loose cannons. So the message is, don’t make it any easier for him to let you go.

Tsar Cannon, Kremlin, Moscow by Craig Jakich