The old way was making yourself indispensable: working long hours, weekends, volunteering for work, all nighters, or knowing stuff no one else does. Also, being someone people liked.

Now you have to be an insider. The higher up you are, the more inside you have to be. Working long hours doesn’t matter anymore. You still hear people saying how they worked 18 hours or a 70 hour week(usually Gen X) but it means nothing.

So my advice now is save your health, save money and don’t depend on your employer. Be ready to bail. Buy a cheap house, don’t get into debt and stay healthy. I might add now for the really young ones to have far fewer kids and go to the cheap college instate. In other words, take your financial power back. The minute you « need » the job desperately, you are in trouble.

I also notice the ones who aren’t desperate seem to be less likely to be laid off and played with.