Ilsa H. duVerney, Career Writer

Many assets, including housing, cars and furniture, are acquired using credit cards or from loan proceeds.

Persons with such debts go to great lengths to protect their jobs and sources of income for fear of losing their assets, losing face and losing peace of mind.

It is no wonder that many persons experience a great deal of stress when their jobs are threatened.

Recently I spoke with a manager who is a casualty of redundancy, who after 10 years, has not fully recovered from the experience.

He had a traumatic experience in his life and approached his company for a transfer to afford him greater proximity to family support which he greatly needed at the time. Having been an outstanding worker, the organisation granted him the request. However, in less than one year, he was made redundant.

This left him in a bit of a tailspin as he was faced with a large mortgage, sizeable car payment, life insurance premiums, two children in school, an ailing mother and his own health care.

He said six months after the transfer was effected, he began to feel that his job was threatened, but ignored the signs. His question to me is: "What can a person do when his/her job is threatened?"

What can be done

His difficult question is one posed to many human resource development practitioners and the attempt here is to provide both job holders and leaders with some ideas as to what can be done in this type of threatening situation.

1. Put your ears to the ground - and start checking things out - gather the facts.

2. Go within and position your needs at a spiritual level.

3. Conduct your own skills inventory - write this up.

4. Dust off your résumé - make sure it sells the brand called 'You'.

5. Will to stay positive despite the odds - engage a coach/career counsellor to support you.

6. Start putting feelers out for a job

7. Think outside of the box - get creative - brainstorm and generate the wild ideas; check them out for implementation.

8. Put your all into your present job and do your best.

9. Examine your investments, reschedule debts, start saving every penny.

10. Calculate amounts due to you and seek ways to invest.

In order to deal with a job threat, it is important to recognise your personal power. Realise that you can steer your life.

You need to be ready to face anything which confronts you and to do so with dignity, flexibility and skill. Believe that as one door closes, another opens, and know that every threat has an opportunity lurking. Seek therefore to find and seize the opportunity.