Survive Downsizing: How to Keep Your Job and Become Indispensable to Your Company

Donald J. Minnick, Ph.D.
iUniverse (2009)
ISBN 9781440164101
Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (10/09)

Personally living in an area in which The New York Times dubbed it, “The Recession Capital” and The San Diego Tribune refers to as, “The Foreclosure Capital,” things are looking pretty grim.  Averaging over 25% unemployment creates some pretty desperate times.  Knowing that the rest of the country is also in dire straits, the timing could not be more perfect to read “Survive Downsizing."

As a result of companies downsizing and outsourcing their work, it is absolutely critical we do everything that we can to hang on to the jobs we have.  The author, a clinical psychologist and organizational consultant, Donald J. Minnick, Ph.D., was involved in collecting an extensive amount of survey data to explore what employers were looking for when they chose to retain employees.  The research findings show what survival qualities are needed to hang on to your job.

This book teaches you the strategies needed to create your own “Survival Tool Kit.”  In addition to in-depth discussions, there is also an extensive collection of applications, exercises, self-assessment surveys, worksheets and planning guides included to assist you with this process.  All of these aspects will be incredibly insightful in helping you learn about what the employers are looking for.  Completing the assessment tools will then help you to see what your weaknesses and strengths are so that you can figure out what to work on and what you can already apply to your strategy plan.
           
I found this book to be incredibly fascinating to read.  Not only did I see it as a tool to saving your job, but I also saw it as something you can use to become a better employee, for the sake of your own personal fulfillment.  If you are somebody that has already lost your job, there is a chapter on what you can do to help you find employment again.  There are some examples of interview questions that I found extremely enlightening. If you are an employer faced with having to cut jobs, the information presented here will help you to make the best choice of who to keep.

Overall, I would highly recommend “Surviving Downsizing” by Donald J. Minnick, Ph.D., to graduates just entering the job field, people who are employed, people who are unemployed, and employers.  The information contained in these pages will be extremely beneficial to all of these people involved.  Actually, the only group of people that I would not recommend it to are people who are hoping to retire, because if you follow these steps, no one will let you leave!

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