Survival of the fittest

"We're conducting a layoff. We're outsourcing IT. We're offshoring." Those are words that no IT manager wants to hear. While some events are beyond your control, IT managers who have weathered these business changes offer some advice about what you can do to boost your job security.

1. Tell the truth. "Be honest in dealing with managers, peers and subordinates," says Charles Lewis, professional engineer for electrical power company JEA in Jacksonville, Fla. "Keep your commitments, and if you can't, be sure co-workers know that something interfered and tell them why."

2. Align IT with the business. "Ensure your department's goals are directly in line with business objectives," says Mark Moroses, senior director of technical services and security officer at Maimonides Medical Center in New York. "We do this through several organizational steering committees that meet monthly and quarterly. These committees directly prioritize MIS projects and approve MIS budget submissions."

3. Determine ROI. Plan how your money is spent. "Include ROI analysis on anything above a small project as part of the project," Moroses says. "If you're not keeping score of your work, you're not really measuring your value to the organization and also not learning from your mistakes." What's more, performing ROI calculations gives you data to demonstrate the successes of your IT staff.

4. Keep on top of technology. Ron Hills, systems consultant and desktop engineer for PMI Mortgage Insurance in Walnut Creek, Calif., says one of the most important aspects of keeping your job is continuing education.

"I learn as much about my job as I can," Hills says. "This includes continuing education courses, certification and seminars to stay in tune with current technology." He reads the industry news for awareness of relevant technology issues to discuss with his employer.

5. Don't say no outright. "We very rarely say no to any request," Moroses says. "We do, quite often, however, have to compromise with how we solve a problem."

Moroses normally will start a dialogue with his customer in which IT will explain the possible implications of a technology change.

"A particular solution may meet a smaller need but create a bigger global risk," he says. "We have an alternative plan that will provide 95% of their needs with no security implications. By engaging our clients in this manner and making them part of the solution decision, they do not become disenfranchised, and feel like a partner instead of a frustrated supplicant."