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Whether its urban professionals battling housing costs, or suburban professionals battling commuting costs, there’s little doubt about it – the cost of living has skyrocketed. So has the cost of doing business, and that means a steady job is now even more valuable.

During tough economic times, the foremost challenge on many workers’ minds is keeping their job and staying away from the “Pink Slip Parade”. The power to do so, in most cases, lies with the worker and their ability to achieve “essential employee” status. One common strategy is to get noticed by increasing visibility within the company.

“Get on projects that matter. There’s no way you’ll be viewed as essential if you’re not meeting your boss’s goal,” says Penelope Trunk, BrazenCareerist.com blogger and author of Brazen Careerist: The New Rules For Success. “Every company’s got essential projects and other projects that aren’t essential, but got through. Even if you got assigned to a dull project, volunteer to help with an essential project.”

One key to remaining marketable in all economic conditions is to accomplish important things on the job as quickly as possible, and that doesn’t mean learning how to work the office coffee machine. Aim for concrete achievements that are quantifiable, like decreased costs or increased productivity and sales. Resumes filled with such information are usually linked with recession-proof careers.

While the average worker age 35 and under stays at a job only 18 months before moving on, it can be beneficial to stay a bit longer and “work within the system,” according to TheStreet.com senior correspondent Farnoosh Torabi.

“Getting what you want and then moving on – it’s a dangerous way to be perceived in the workplace,” explains Torabi, author of You’re So Money. “Come in early, stay late, put on a tie, take on extra responsibilities. It’s dangerous if your boss thinks you only want to be there temporarily.”

Despite their best efforts, sometimes there’s simply no way an employee can stay immune to company downsizing or a tight job market. In times like these, it’s best to have a substantial amount of savings so more career options are on the table, like continuing education or taking on pro bono or freelance work to broaden skills.

Though notoriously low-paying and understaffed, non-profit organizations can offer a wealth of career experience. Besides, alternating between high-paying and low-paying industries is a great strategy for diversifying the resume, according to Trunk. However, this can be challenging without a significant savings cushion, a problem particularly facing the younger generation of workers.

“If you have to pay back college loans and support yourself and have a social life in a big city, you’re really limited as to what kind of jobs you can take,” Trunk says.

Fortunately for young professionals, social expectations are changing. There is no longer a stigma attached to recent college graduates who move back in with their parents. These so-called “boomerang kids” are setting aside more savings and becoming homeowners faster, according to Torabi.

“There’s a resurgence of boomerang kids and I say there’s no shame in that,” she exclaims. “Your first reaction is, ‘Oh, that sucks,’ but then you ask them how much they’re saving and they’re easily saving half their paychecks.”

Torabi, who is a member of Generation Y, chose to rent living space in a married couple’s home for one year before becoming a homeowner herself. This arrangement could also work to the equal benefit of married couples struggling to meet their mortgage payment. When it comes to living arrangements or any other scenario, Torabi added that the consumer’s power of negotiation is now at its strongest, if they just ask.

“Don’t forget the power of negotiation – whether it’s a pair of shoes or the monthly rent, the price tag is not the final price,” she says. “If you’re struggling because of rising inflation, so are business owners, so they might be more willing now than ever before to cut you a break. Speak up for yourself, just as you would in a relationship or job you really cared about.”

Telecommuting is another option workers might be able to arrange, if they ask. It is an increasingly popular choice across all industries because workers consider it economical and employers have seen increased work productivity in many cases.

“A lot of people can telecommute, but they just don’t realize it,” Trunk says, adding that it is far from being the only – or even the best – solution to high gas prices.

“If people would just not go out to dinner one night a week, they can balance out the high gas prices,” she said.

It’s not easy, but the bottom line tactic for surviving a recession is creativity. Big rewards can appear, personally and professionally, as a result of small steps like sticking to a monthly budget or putting forth a little more effort to be an excellent employee. Being proactive and solution-oriented can create a lower cost of living and greater job security to last through all economic times.

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