Analyzing your value to the organization can help to protect yourself from being laid off. If you are laid off, getting another comparable job–or a better one–will be far less of an ordeal you can document your contribution to the company’s bottom line.

Ask yourself a few questions to test whether your work makes a difference to your company.

How are your technology skills? Have you taken any new courses to stay abreast of technology? Network with others in your field to identify industry stars to compare yourself with. What skills do they have? What do their job descriptions look like? Search consultants can tell you what organizations demand when seeking candidates for a job like yours. If your job was created specifically for you, you should be sure to keep your tech skills high and broaden your scope. Often when  there is not a market for your specific skills, or you can’t find others who do approximately what you do, you may be in a trouble spot. Expand your skills.

Is your role essential? What impact does your job have on the big picture? Does your work exclusively benefit internal departments? What would happen to your department or division if the company got into a financial bind that forced it to cut back? Would profits or customer satisfaction be damaged if your department disappeared?

Can you be replaced easily? Assume that your managerial and technical skills are top-notch and cutting-edge. Could someone years younger who has the ability to perform equally well as you; and at half your salary take your place? Perhaps. However, if you have something extra, something that puts you steps ahead of the young dynamo, you can secure your place. Make it your business to show that your knowledge is essential. It does not matter what it is, do you have a great memory? Use it to show that you have a full grasp of your company’s history. Are you good with graphs and forms, use that expertise to help remove a cumbersome step in a process. Good event planning may be considered gold at your business. While no one is indispensable, make it harder for your boss to get along without you.

Update your resume. Do you keep your resume up-to-date? If someone wanted to see your resume today, would you be able to pass it on without apology? If you can’t do that, then it is time to update your resume and keep it new updated. A resume should be new employer ready at all times.

As one who has somewhat of an entrepreneurial spirit, there are some things I am not comfortable with, one of those things is nest egg risk. As a investor in the stock market for many years, I have stayed in the low to moderate risk area, that is how I am about my home business. Maybe that’s how you are too. If yes, you most likely will never be rich, but if things remain status-quo, you will be comfortable. If you dream of owning your own business you should think carefully about how you feel money, not the money you hope to make, but the money you have saved or put away for a rainy day.

The idea of being your own boss, calling all the shots, and taking control of your destiny is a dream for many people, but owning and running a business takes more than desire.

Before you make your shell out your hard-earned dollars, whether it is $50 to start a home business or $50,000 for a franchise, ask yourself a few questions first.

• Are you comfortable with risk? Don’t invest your life savings unless you’re sure you can live with the possibility of losing your nest egg. All entrepreneurs worry about money, but you can’t let your fears paralyze you.

• Will you be committed and passionate about your business? A business that doesn’t excite you from the start won’t sustain your energy when demands are great and payoffs uncertain. Pick a business that you truly believe in, one you’d be happy to work in regardless of whether you ever get rich.

• Do you have the time and energy? Running your own business is not a 9-to-5 job. You need to be to able to maintain the pace of building a company from the ground up, especially during the early years. And if you are still working your regular 9-to-5 job you have to be willing to forego many things.

• Is your family on board? Running a business calls for all your concentration, and if your family feels short-changed, the added stress can do you in. Include them in any decision you make so you don’t have to worry about problems at home.

If you can say yes to these questions, go for it.

Setting the right goals for yourself and your business is important. Your business is less likely to grow if are not working toward a certain goal or goals. When I started working in direct selling, I came in under someone (my upline) who pushed for the number of people in my downline rather than selling the product. I soon found that a large downline could not be my goal because I would spend more time recruiting bodies than getting the word out and marketing my product. I did OK, but was not happy, so I did an about-face. We all have choices, it does not matter what business you are in, you set your own goals. Setting the right goals, though–goals that will inspire and motivate you and those who work with or under you is crucial.

A few good goals to aim for. . .

• Quantifiability. You should be able to measure your success in objective terms so you can see the value of your efforts.

• Challenging objectives. If the challenge is too easy, your objective may not have a significant positive on your business.

• Flexibility. Don’t back yourself into a corner. Although you don’t want to adjust your goal or goals to suit your results, you should be willing to modify your ambitions if circumstances snatch your original objective out of reach. This is not giving up, rather, it is knowing when to change your course so you can move ahead.

Does this mean to set low goals or dream small? I don’t think so. It just means that you should not allow other people limit your success to their goals, or view your future through someone else’s eyes.

The past year has been financially difficult for many. There is no better time to make plans, O.K., call them resolutions if you must. But do make plans/resolutions to get fiscally fit, not just physically fit. Also, if you busy getting pumped up about saving money and getting out of debt you may forget to nosh.

• Save 10 percent. Put aside 10 percent of your income for long-term investments and retirement savings before paying any bills. Even if you are retired you should continue to add to your porfolio.

• Track your expenses. Record every dollar you spend, for at least one week. You will get a clearer idea of where the money goes and what you can cut back on.

• Stay home. Resist the temptation to eat out. Cook more meals at home. Instead of going to the movies, rent a video, read a book, or a play a game with your whole family.

• Do not rely on credit cards. Credit card debt can eat up your savings and your future. Start reducing your debt, and don’t buy anything on credit if you don’t have the money to pay the bill off promptly.

• Pay down your mortgage. You can save a lot of money on your mortgage by paying just $50 to $100 more a month. Is is a wise idea? It appears that the answer is more gray than black or white. See what AARP and CBS Money Watch have to say.

• Energize your house. Look for ways to make your house more energy efficient. You will save on heating and cooling costs and also help the environment.  Good advice for homeowners and anyone who rents and pays separate utilities. See Consumer Reports magazine  and 12 ways to cut cooling costs from Bankrate.com

Entrepreneur and businesswoman and author Deborah Rosado Shaw rose from poverty to create a multimillion-dollar umbrella-making business, Umbrellas Plus LLC. 

Ms. Shaw’s advice on getting ahead:

• Be willing to sacrifice.

• Get used to fear.

• Know where you’re going.

• Enlist the help of a business coach or mentor.

• Be creative about what you want.

• Make noise.

• Trade what’s predictable for what’s possible.

 Read article  Millionaire Moms Tops Inventions

The holidays can be the perfect time to boost your career, whether for your home business or your office. Between gift-giving and office parties, you have plenty of opportunities to show people who you are and where your career interests lie. Here are some  opportunities:

Office party. Many companies will hold still hold holiday parties this year despite the financial down-turn. They may more necessary than ever to boost company morale. If your office is holding a party, attend, (it may not be mandatory, but…-I’m just saying) remember these three things:

1. Don’t booze it up.
2. Don’t talk shop the entire time.
3. Don’t over- or under-dress.

If you are a home business owner, the same rules apply, perhaps more so.

Cards. Sending holiday cards is a great way to acknowledge those who’ve helped your career in the past year and to reconnect with business associates. If you’re uncertain about religious affiliations, send cards that eliminate any religious references. Choose cards with beautiful generic holiday graphics and state ”Happy Holiday”; send the cards out early in December. This may feel like a cop-out, but in the last few years, people seem to be more sensitive to who they are and the holidays they celebrate.  This is the one time you want to go ahead and follow the pc (politically correctly) bunch.  

If you are a home business owner, it is fine to send a holiday greeting as above. Your contact information should not be the focal point, but it should be on the card.

Gifts. A little caution is needed. Determine whom you want to give a gift to (clients, co-workers, bosses) but first make sure they’re allowed to receive gifts. (Some federal positions, for example, are banned from accepting gifts from groups or individuals that could constitute a conflict of interest.) Use your best judgment on getting an appropriate gift that serves as a token of appreciation. It does not need to be expensive, but it should show that some thought went into purchasing it. Do not expect a gift in return, this should be from the heart, not because you are hoping for a reciprocal gift. One year our office manager gave everyone paper weights. I still have mine.

If you have a home business, something from your business with a short note of thanks and appreciation would do nicely. If that is impossible, think of something that will help to say to your client or customer, “thank you for your business.”  You will have to make up your mind, will you give a holiday gift to everyone or your returning clients?  I do not give gifts to my Watkins customers, but I do acknowledge them on my Watkins turn-key site. See Watkins

As companies try to stay afloat in a choppy economy, employees are being pushed for new ideas. However, managers should note and consider the studies conducted by Teresa Amabile, professor at Harvard Business School and head of its Entrepreneurial Management Unit. She has explored creativity for nearly 30 years and her comprehensive research has uncovered some myths:

• Money and rewards does not inspire creativity
• Tight deadlines and pressure to produce don’t foster innovation
• Competition does not induce creativity
• Fear does not fuel creative breakthroughs

In order bring creativity to fruition, people must  be deeply engaged in and with their projects and skilled enough to accomplish the project without:

• unnecessary distractions
• office (or any) politics
• resource roadblocks
• unwarranted critical feedback

Teresa Amabile is the Edsel Bryant Ford Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School.

In it’s September, 2009 issue, Entrepreneur magazine declares Etsy as a website to watch. I agree. Etsy online stores have wonderful handmade or hand crafted items for sale. Online shopping at Etsy is like visiting an upscale straw market or bazaar-fun and cool. Many of the sellers are masters at their crafts.

I discovered Etsy about 3 years ago through a social site and have been buying from them since that time. Early on, I loved the artsy, craftsy look of the site, that has changed somewhat, but you can still find lovely, unusual items at Etsy.  If you are looking for an unusual gift item, check them out. Also, anyone who is a craft’s person should definately take a look at Etsy and think about becoming a shop owner.

For information see  Etsy

Successful relationships whether business or romantic are built on a foundation of honest, thoughtful communication. Whether you are contemplating a business partnership or marriage, giving some thought to these four questions may save you headache and grief.  

1. How does the person react in a crisis?
2. How does he or she handle money?
3. What does the other person expect from you? What might happen if those expectations aren’t met?
4. What are the other person’s goals? What are three things he/she would like to accomplish in the immediate future, and in the long term?
5. What makes him/her angry? How does the person deal with anger?

 Think before leaping, if his or her goals are not the same or at least similar to yours, do you really want to move forward?

Layoffs can make your future look grim.  Take a positive step and look for new career strategies. If you have been caught in the cross-fire of job change and are not ready for retirement or are too young to retire, consider doing the following:

Evaluate your talents and values, be brutally honest with yourself when you do this. Remember there is no such thing as “They can’t get along without me.” The truth is the company won’t fail if you are not there. Keeping this in mind, think about your real talent and value to your work place. Talk to people you know well and those who you know well. Talk to co-worker’s and friends, ask them to be honest. You may be surprised to find out what other people think about your professional skills and what they feel your weaknesses are.  Armed with this information , hopefully, you will be able to find a good job/career match for your talents.

Update your skills. People often fail to update their job skills, particularly their technical skills. If you only learn what you need to know to get the job done you may be woefully lacking the skills to get a job elsewhere. You must be willing to spend money and/or time to upgrade your skills and knowledge. Attend company learning classes if offered. Don’t be offended if your boss suggests that you take a course on organizing, or being a good gatekeeper, it does not mean that you are doing a poor job (however, it is something to think about) It may mean that your boss sees potential for something bigger. Whatever the case, update your job skills and let higher ups know that you are doing so.

If you are still working but want to make a change, do a lot of research before saying goodbye. If a particular career appeals to you, investigate it to the fullest. Talk to people already in the field, and find out what they like and don’t like about their work. Get on the Internet and do a deep search by typing in the name of the career and move on from there. 

Make it a point to promise yourself that this time around you will enjoy your work rather than just put in hours. Do something you love, and let yourself enjoy the work.

See  Learning a New Skill