Tech companies are poised for mergers. What you can do to help survive a merger.
Mergers are on the rise, and if the proposed AT&T buyout of T-Mobile is any indication, they can happen even at companies that seemed to be doing alright.
When mergers happen, it can be a stressful time for employees and many people who aren't prepared can find themselves looking for a new job. This is especially true in the tech industry where large companies gobble up the smaller ones in the blink of an eye.
So, what can you do if you think your career might hang in the balance? Here are a few tips that can help you survive a merger.
- Decide if you should stay or go – When you first start hearing rumors of a merger, you need to really take a long, hard look at your career and where you are in your company. Give some thought to whether it's better for you to look for a job with another company or if you are better working through it.
- Build your professional and social networks – As your co-workers are jumping ship or getting downsized, make it a point to keep in touch with them. Spend a little more time maintaining your networking on social sites like Facebook and Linkedin. When companies merge and some employees are let go, you can lose the chance to get contact information, references and support from your former co-workers.
- Be an asset for your company – If you have been getting comfortable in you job, this is the time to step it up and become an asset. Go above and beyond to set yourself apart as someone who is important and valuable. This way, if jobs start to disappear, you won't be someone they can afford to lose.
- Look at severance packages and early retirement buy-outs – Typically, before cutting large numbers of job, companies offer severance packages and even early retirement buy-outs. If you're on the fence about leaving, it might be smart to take the money and look for another job.
- If business slows, use your time to your advantage – During the middle of a reorganization or a merger, sometimes business can slow down temporarily. Don't use this time to sit on your hands, instead use it to attend networking events and get to know what the new company is all about. If you are thinking of leaving, this is a good time to start listening for new opportunities.
Have you been through a merger? What were your experiences? Let me know in the comments.
If you are looking for a job in the Tech industry, visit TechCareers for the best Tech job listings.
By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for TechCareersBlog. Along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.
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