With unemployment rates lingering around the highest they’ve ever been, there are quite a few people out there searching for a job, and let’s face it, it’s slim pickings out there.  You, on the other hand, are not one of those people.  You have survived layoffs, cutbacks, and maybe even decreases in pay.  Now how do you keep it that way?

Perhaps you realize your position could be filled by anyone and you are unfortunately replaceable.  Maybe you are unhappy but have determined that you’re lucky just to have a job in these times.  You might even love your job and simply want to secure it.  No matter your mindset, your goal now is to show your employer how valuable you are.  If anyone could do your job, convince your boss that no one could be as successful as you are in that position.  If you’re unhappy, do your best work-don’t let your productivity and quality start to slide.  If you’ve got your dream job, give your boss reason to believe that you are the best in your field, without question.

Your first task in accomplishing this goal is to remain open to all the changes that are occurring around you.  Your department or even the company as a whole has gotten smaller as people are being laid off or quitting on their own terms.  Do not let this frustrate you, especially in the workplace.  If you need to vent, do so on your own time.  If you feel you should speak to your boss about the current workplace situation, be tactful and professional.  Everyone is taking a hit these days, even your employer, and if you show yourself incapable of taking it in stride, you will be among the next group of people to be laid off.

Now is a great opportunity to show off your skills and maybe even learn some new ones.  Even with fewer employees, the same jobs still need to be done with the same quality and in a timely manner.  Don’t be afraid to volunteer yourself for these extra projects, especially if you’ve noticed responsibilities being taken away from you-that’s a bad sign.  If you eventually want to move up in your company or switch departments, consider taking on projects outside of what people already know you can do.  Use this time to reveal skills that you are unable to display in your current position or show how quickly you can learn new ones and successfully apply them.  Not only will your boss make sure to keep you the next time cuts need to be made, but once things improve, you could end up with that promotion you’ve been wanting.

Keep your current skills fresh.  Make sure you’re working to the best of your ability and then some.  Look into some extra training or ask about conferences in your field to show that you are truly applying yourself and are personally invested in the success of your company.  If you can remain positive and continue to be productive and just a little bit more helpful than the next person, you can stand out.  Your employer needs healthy attitudes and dedication to help the company survive, or you’ll both be out of a job.  Be proactive and your name won’t come up when things get tighter, except when your boss mentions what an asset you are!

As the economy continues to slump, you may notice your workload continue to rise.  Your company may be experiencing a number of layoffs and cutting costs wherever possible.  With fewer funds to go around and less people to get the job done, you might be expected to take on more responsibility.  Perhaps you already don’t like your job, and being overworked for the same pay, or maybe even less, is not helping you keep a positive outlook and you’re considering a career change.  But is now the best time?

Consider your current position…

• Are you being paid what you know you’re worth?
• Are there desirable advancement opportunities?
• Does your company offer or encourage continuous training to expand upon your skills as well as learn new ones?
• How is the balance between your work life and your personal life?
• Are you currently on the career path you always dreamed of?  If not, now can certainly be a great time to make a change if you take advantage of every opportunity you can find.

The current job market is tight.  There are not many openings and too many candidates.  You need to make yourself stand out even more right now.  Highlight your unique skills on your resume.  For example, are you organized?  Dependable?  Great-but so is everyone else that’s applying for the same position.  What have you done that proves it?  List successful projects you have completed for your current employer and use that as an intro to what you can accomplish for the company you are applying to.

Maybe you’re like me.  You have the degree you want, you have the ambition and the drive, but your portfolio is rather small and will definitely not help you stand out in the crowd.  Take this time to build upon your skills.  Try to find freelance opportunities in your field.  Websites like sologig.com and odesk.com offer a wide variety to choose from.  You’ll even make some extra cash.  Odesk also provides tests for you to take and will show the results on your free profile.  The tests can be used to show potential employers what your skill range is, and maybe show you where some of your weak spots might be.  If you find a weak spot, do your research.  Maybe you’ve forgotten a simple concept that you used to understand, or you’ve encountered a phrase or technique that you’ve never heard of.  Take the time to learn everything you can.  Consider taking some professional development classes that you can add to your resume.  Many colleges offer programs for people that work full-time and that will allow you to attend classes at night, only on weekends, or completely online.

You can also build your portfolio by searching for a part-time position or even an internship in the field you want to pursue.  They’re not just for college students anymore.  True, you will only be increasing your workload yet again, and now it’s on what used to be your personal time.  But if you don’t do it now, when will you?  If a career change is what you really want, you must do your homework and put in your time.

Whether your dream is to run your own business or simply to work in a different field than you’re currently in, there are certainly risks in this market.  You may need to use your free time to enhance or prove your skills.  You may find what you’re looking for but have to accept less pay that your current job.  Consider it all an investment for your future.  If you can stay one step ahead of everyone else looking for the same position, a tight job market just might not be an obstacle for you.

Admit it-you’re jealous of the people like the founders of Facebook and YouTube.  They came up with a ridiculously obvious idea that everyone has become addicted to.  While their initial intentions where just to make a tool for their friends, Now they simply kick back with a martini on their yachts and watch the money roll in.  They mastered the basic passive income model: come up with an idea, post it on the internet, and quit your day job as your bank account swells.  More formally, place your stake in a business where you will be paid without being directly involved or having to do much work.

There are legitimate ways to do this, but let’s start with an option you’ve probably seen or perhaps even fallen for: the classic internet work-at-home business opportunity.  These generally show up as an ad on a website you’re visiting, or even as a job posting on sites like careerbuilder.com.  You’ll find lots of exclamation points!  Work from home!  No selling!  No experience necessary!  100% legitimate!  You read a long, repetitious testimonial about how easy it is and how much you’ll make, only to reach the bottom and discover you must first pay a subscription or “materials” fee.  While there are many legitimate work from home opportunities, ways to make money on the internet, and real coaches that can help you develop the skills to successfully produce an income online, there are plenty of marketers who prey on those who are easily persuaded.  Be careful not to fall for these scams.

If you want true passive income, there is work to be done first.  You need an idea and a business model for it.  You could buy stock and hope the market improves, but you still need to be involved, knowing what to buy, when to buy, and when to sell.  You could join a subscription service that hosts your product for you.  For example, sites like shutterstock.com and istockphoto.com let you upload your photos (pending approval) and pay you when someone downloads them.  You still have to stay active and learn what works and what doesn’t, as the pay per photo is small (around $0.25).  You could start a blog and ask for donations or use applications like Google AdSense that will post ads relevant to your site’s content and pay you per click.  You still need a product, or at least a good cause.

Better still, you can create your own product or service and design a business to sell it.  The next step is to build a website either as your main business location or as a partner to your physical store.  Either way, your business is not the internet (unless you created the internet).  It is a tool to help your business.  If your goal is passive income, you first need to put some up-front time and effort into your idea and stay active.  Modify what’s not working and expand on what is.  Use those other ideas, such as a blog, to help build your customer base and build their confidence in your product and your expertise.

It is possible to reach the point where you can make money while simply sitting on your couch in your pajamas.  To get there, you need to earn it with time, effort, and money-and spending fifteen minutes reading that over-excited yahoo’s webpage and paying him $69.95 to start doesn’t count! If you’re going to spend the money on a “get rich on the Internet” system, at least put  the strategies they teach you into action. Create your own idea or product and get moving.