What do you do for a living? I work as a secretary in a law firm. I have a great boss I’ve been with for almost 10 years, my half hour commute to work is very peaceful, the pay is competitive and I have no real complaints. There is one thing however I don’t have: Job Security.

Last month alone, the economy lost 80,000 jobs and nearly a quarter-million over the last three months. Despite this fact, my view of job security has always been a pessimistic one. When people mention the security they feel within their job, I raise my left eyebrow, my head tilts down and left, I look at the person over my glasses, then I burst out laughing. Job security! Advancement in technology is replacing jobs once done by people at a steady rate. The only person who has job security might be a mortician and with people living longer, even they have to wait on our business.

When things are going great it’s easy to get comfortable, to get lulled into a false sense of security, until our job is outsourced or either terminated. Sadly, when a job no longer needs or can afford our services, they let us go, sometimes without warning.

So what can we do in an economy when things are unstable? Prepare now!

Valley and Peaks

Pay off debt. Getting rid of debt should always be a priority in any economy. If you feel your job is secure, why not use your guaranteed income to pay down debt.

Build your emergency fund. The rule used to be a savings of 3 to 6 months of household expenses, or the amount you would need to maintain your household for 6 months. Now it’s 12 months of expenses. Finding a job is a job in itself and may not happen as quickly as you hoped. You can buy yourself more time to find a job that’s right for you if you have a bigger cushion to soften the blows.

Learn a skill. I know people with more degrees than a thermometer and no job. They have the skills and education, and while that’s a huge advantage, it’s no guarantee of a job. However, if you can do something with your hands, no one can take work away from you. Sure you may have to work harder at finding work, but the ability to create work always remains with YOU.

Use free resources. I’m a huge fan of the library, to me it’s a free education. Through reading alone, I’ve taught myself photography and web design. I don’t have the greatest skills in these areas, but I’ve used both as a means to generate income doing work that I love. Yes, I have to find the work, but no one can take away my ability to work. To me, I feel it’s always there when I need it.

How do you feel about your job in this economy? Do you feel a measure of security or do you think you could wake up one day with no job?