Employer gives advice on
keeping job

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Trimming costs for many companies includes laying off employees. It is a new year, and employees are trying everything they can to remain as layoff-proof as possible. Austin is doing better than most other cities with an unemployment rate hovering around 5 percent according to the Web site . That is better than most cities, but many Austin employers have laid off workers, including smaller companies like Collings Guitars .

"Just because we make a cooler product than a lot of businesses, all the same rules apply," said Steve McCreary General Manager of Collings Guitars . The rules of a tough economy meant Collings had to shave 10 employees from their workforce last month.

"It was very difficult," said McCreary. In the wake of layoffs, McCreary is telling employees to fine tune the way they work, also saying it is good advice for all employees to produce more efficiently in this bad economy.

"Go above and beyond the call," he said. "If there's extra things you can do, you know you're certainly going to catch the eyes of an employer."

Those looking for a job had even more drastic advice.

"Get two jobs, so if you lose one, you have one more just in case you have to look for another one," said job seeker Levi Hall. Hall was one of hundreds of lob seekers that filled the resource center at Workforce Solutions, Inc . on Friday filling out resumes and browsing for opporunities.

Experts said it might not be a bad time to update that resume on the computer even if you have a job.

Still, "If you work for a small company who's having a hard time meeting payroll, there's not really anything you can do," said Weston Sythoff, Communications Coordinator for Workforce Solutions.

That is why experts said knowing as many things about your job will help you keep it. Some companies are hoping music cures the ills for 2009's economic forecast.

"Music has always been a real savior to a lot of people when times were hard," said McCreary.

Employees are working harder hoping their work will pay off.

"When you look at an employee, one of the rules we kind of use is 'if I had 20 of this person, am I in better shape or worse shape?'" said McCreary.