In the past, most people expected that once they had been hired they had no need to be afraid of job loss and would stay in the same job for as long as they were happy there. In other words, they, as employees could choose to stay or move.

But things have changed pretty drastically and many of us start a job with a one or two year contract, which may or may not be renewed. And now that the whole world is sliding into recession, even short-term contracts may not be safe.

If you are amongst the many who are afraid that you will lose your job in the coming recession, what can you do? It is very scary to think that you might be made redundant and asa consequence, could lose your home, a situation which is all too real for an increasing number of folks these days.

And the problem with feeling scared is that fear can escalate into panic and that panic can cause you to freeze. And if you freeze, you find yourself unable to think clearly, never mind take constructive action.

If you do tend to panic, start out by finding a way to reduce the feelings of terror, at least enough to take some sort of action. Once you start taking action, you'll feel better, because you will start to feel back in control.

Next, come up with a plan. Do some research on the company or organization you work for and the industry in which it is involved. Find out how this industry is being affected by the current economic downturn and how it is likely to be affected over the next couple of years.

Look at the local situation. Can you get an idea of which jobs are going to go and which are going to stay? Or will the whole company go down?

Of course, this is not an exact science and even if you are in a job that appears to be safe, it is a good idea to look at alternatives. Focus on your strongest skills and make sure you develop them to a higher level.

You need to be both creative and flexible. So consider ways in which the skills you use in your present job could be adapted to fit other jobs or other industries. So, if you are good with computers and can type fast but only use wordprocessing in your present job, take a look at other computer skills which are currently in demand and which you could add to your repertoire.

Identifying your own skills and matching them with skills which are in demand will reduce your fear of job loss, because you will be well prepared to get hired again..

Want to know the 4 steps you can take right now to recession proof your career?

For more tips on how to find a new job you love go to: http://www.coolercareers.com