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Your Next Move

Kimberly Brown helps women and people of color to be seen in the workplace, make more money, and become leaders.

your next move

‘I’m Worried About Layoffs at My Company’

 There’s no sure way to avoid the chopping block, but you can position yourself strategically. By Kimberly Brown

More From ‘Your Next Move’

  1. ‘I Had a Panic Attack at Work and I’m Embarrassed’While it’s easy to worry about what others are thinking, your energy is better spent determining what you need to manage your panic attacks.
  2. ‘I’m Terrified of Making Even Tiny Mistakes at Work’While a certain level of work stress is normal, you need to ask for support if it’s affecting how you perform your job.
  3. ‘I Have No Direction in My New Job’Don’t wait for guidance from your boss that may never arrive. Here’s how to develop an action plan.
  4. ‘My Boss Calls Me ‘Sis’ And I Want Him To Stop’You need to tell him it’s offensive.
  5. ‘My Boss Is Making Me Work Two Jobs With No Additional Pay’If the extra work positions you for a promotion or gives you skills you can leverage to land a job elsewhere, it may be worth sticking it out.
  6. ‘I’m Afraid I’ve Aged Out of My Line of Work’Yes, ageism can be a real issue in some industries, but don’t other yourself by fixating on differences between generations in the workplace.
  7. ‘I’ve Had More Than 100 Interviews and Am Ready to Give Up’You’re wasting your time and energy if you’re applying to jobs that don’t match your strengths and experience level.
  8. ‘I Hate My Cushy Job. Should I Suck It Up or Just Quit?’The answer is right there in the question.
  9. ‘How Do I Explain That I Was Forced Out of My Job?’Tell the truth, but don’t overshare.
  10. ‘Working As an Adjunct Isn’t Paying the Bills’Here’s how to punch up your résumé and work your contacts to find new opportunities.
  11. ‘My Recruiter Is Driving Me Up a Wall’Do you really want that new job? You’ll need to show some flexibility and grace.
  12. ‘I Left a Toxic Company. Should I Warn Other Employees?’As much as you may want to grab a sign and protest in front of HQ, this isn’t your fight.
  13. ‘I’m Tired of Dealing With Incompetent Co-workers’You need to communicate your boundaries — repeatedly.
  14. ‘I Stayed at My Job for Too Long and Now I’m Miserable’Don’t bring that baggage into your hiring process with new companies. Here’s how to regain your confidence.
  15. ‘How Do I Get Past My Insecurity at Work After Being Fired?’A “workplace win” list, time, and therapy will help.
  16. ‘My Boss Says I Work More Than My Predecessor. Can I Ask for a Raise?’Make a pitch based on your performance, not on the fact that the person you replaced was paid more for less work.
  17. ‘Why Do I Outgrow Jobs So Quickly?’It’s your responsibility to make each role your own once you settle into a new company.
  18. ‘How Do I Show I Can Handle Jobs I’m Not Fully Qualified For?’Telling the right story will make the hiring manager confident in your abilities.
  19. ‘I Feel Like I Let Down My Bosses by Taking Another Job’It’s okay to move on. Here are some ways to ease the blow.
  20. ‘I’m Homesick. How Do I Convince My Boss to Let Me Move to Another City?’If you truly want to keep this job, you need to determine what may make your boss nervous about you working remotely and address those concerns.
  21. ‘How Do I Talk About Being Laid Off in a Job Interview?’You were let go, not fired, so there’s no need to lie. Here’s how to confidently explain your situation.
  22. ‘My Manager Won’t Address My Co-Workers’ Unprofessional Behavior’You can only control yourself, but you can turn this situation to your advantage.
  23. ‘Can I Back Out of a Job Offer a Week Before My Start Date?’It’s never too late — but you don’t know what connections you may be burning.
  24. ‘Should I Try to Use an Outside Job Offer to Get a Promotion?’Leveraging an external offer is helpful to get a promotion at your current job, but it takes some finesse.
  25. ‘Is It Worth Taking a New Job With a More Junior Title But Better Pay?’I wouldn’t let a title change be the determining factor in your final decision.
  26. ‘How Can I Convince My New Boss That I’m Ready to Be a Manager?’The arrival of a new boss means having a clean slate at work, especially if they’re an external candidate. So position yourself as an asset to them.
  27. ‘I Want to Transition Into a New Line of Work, But I’m Not Getting Far’If your résumé doesn’t list the exact work experience required, making the case for yourself in a cover letter could be the best move.
  28. ‘My New Job Is Nothing Like I Expected’Before you do anything else, you need to decide exactly what you want, and then have an honest conversation about it with your manager. Here’s how.
  29. Make Sure Your Next Career Move Is the Best MoveIn a new biweekly column for the Cut, Kimberly Brown helps women and people of color to be seen in the workplace, make more money, and become leaders.