Chances are, you know someone who’s been laid off recently. How can you keep from becoming the next victim of the current economic crunch?

First, there’s no tried-and-true way to figure out how these decisions are made. That’s because subjectivity can have a habit of trumping objectivity.

But there’s a sensible strategy you can follow in Purchasing and Procurement that can help you steer clear of the axe.

First: Why is your company downsizing? Chances are, it’s all a matter of money. Companies need to reduce costs in order to offset flagging profits. After all, that’s what it’s all about to the folks who run the show: Profits.

With this in mind, your best tactic is to demonstrate how your ability to perform the job has a direct positive influence on profits.

The way to do that: Show upper management just how much you’ve done to increase your company’s profitability.

This has to be more than anecdotal and estimated. You’ll need firm facts and figures that document the cost savings you’ve generated.

Once you’ve identified your area(s) of profitability, you need to put it down on paper in such a way that anyone can understand it. Some bosses might frown on you using company time to do this, so don’t be hesitant to make it a take-home project.

You have two goals in impressing the folks who matter most:

Your strong commitment to making sure company operations are profitable, and

Your performance as a moving force — if not the main moving force — behind this path to profitability.

One sure way to get their attention: If the money you save actually exceeds your salary, it’ll make management look like geniuses for keeping you around.

Tags: document, procurement, profitability, purchasing