Comment Diversify your skillset (Score 1) 73
As a young programmer I watched senior coders get laid off and realized several things:
1) The more you make, the more attractive the target for cost reduction
2) You could have extensive knowledge about coding and a specific codebase, it won't save you.
Since then I spend my free time finding skills that my current environment is lacking, then develop those skills and put them to use. In the intervening 20+ years in the field, I have never once been laid off despite making what I make ( admittedly violating rule #1 ). Even were I laid off, I have several companies that would jump at the chance to have me back ( given my skillset and work ethic ).
I think working for larger corporations stifles people; they let themselves get comfortable in the pigeon hole they've been assigned, so they are ill prepared when lean times come.