One sure way to have people regard you as a key member of the staff is to do the little extra things that other people are unwilling to do. Making yourself layoff proof often means doing the right things at the right time and having the right people notice.

Putting in the extra effort can be more work than other people are willing to do. That's good news for you - that means your contributions will stand out when you are compared to your co-workers, and any advantage in a layoff situation can only help you to secure your position when those around you lose theirs!

One of the best examples of going the extra mile is a story from a couple of years ago, whn I was able to observe first-hand how my daughter Ashley positioned herself perfectly to achieve her goals by going the ‘extra mile' - above and beyond expectations.

In 2003, Ashley was selected out of more than 70,000 other hopefuls as a semi-finalist on the hit Fox series "American Idol". I accompanied her to the CBS Studios in Hollywood where the series was filmed. We were there for a week of rehearsals and performances with the other seven competitors scheduled to sing that week.

In addition to the hours she spent each day preparing to sing on national television, there were appearances and interviews that she had to attend. One of those interviews came early one morning, as Katie Couric filmed her segments from the west coast as co-anchor of The Today Show.

Ashley, along with the seven other performers in her group, was scheduled to ‘go live' on the east coast from 8:45AM until about 8:55AM - just a brief ten minute group interview. Many segments on The Today Show are live, not taped. To be on the air on the east coast at 8:45AM, Ashley had to be in front of the cameras in Hollywood at 5:45AM.

You should have heard the groans from some of the other Idol competitors when the schedule for the early morning interview was announced. One of them even wondered out load why they had to get up so early. I guess they forgot that everyone at The Today Show has to get up early every day!

Ashley took the news of the early call with a smile and created a plan to present a professional image. After all, if you were going to be interviewed on national television, wouldn't you want to look your best?

Some of the other performers slept until the last moment and showed up for the interview looking like they had just rolled out of bed... because they had!

Ashley arrived at 5:00AM to have her hair and make-up checked by the television people. That also allowed her to arrive at the studio early to be fitted for her microphone, get comfortable on the set and meet the Today Show staff.

To get to the studio at 5:00AM, she had to meet her driver in the hotel lobby at 4:15AM. And to make sure she looked wide awake and ready for the interview, Ashley woke up early to exercise, eat breakfast, shower, pick out a cute outfit, do her hair and make-up, and get dressed.

That, my friend, means that Ashley's wake-up call came at 2:15AM. And that came after a full day (and into the night) of rehearsals the day before!

She invested three hours and thirty minutes of preparation for a brief ten minute interview. Some people might find that silly, but think of it - she went in wide awake and fully prepared. She presented herself as a professional. There was nothing rushed, no ‘winging it', no hitting the snooze alarm, and no rolling out of bed a few minutes before and giving a bad interview. She was relaxed, confident and lovely.

By the way...at the time of the interview on The Today Show, Ashley was just seventeen years old.

How did going the ‘extra mile' help Ashley? Although she did not become the American Idol that season, Ashley made a positive impression on the people at Fox and at CBS Studios.

After she was eliminated from the competition, Fox signed her for a recurring role on the teen drama ‘The OC'. That first opportunity led to other television appearances in series, guest appearances and commercials.

In addition to acting, she works today at CBS Studios as ‘the face of CBS Mobile'. Enjoying television and other entertainment on your mobile phone is growing in popularity, and Ashley is at the forefront of the CBS network offerings for this new media.

In order to make yourself layoff proof, go the ‘extra mile'. Position yourself to stand out from the crowd in a positive and meaningful way. Here are a few ideas how to do that:

• Prepare for when your opportunity comes. Even when you are inexperienced and you're not sure you have what it takes to complete the assignment, preparation can carry you through. Ashley had never acted before she was signed for her role on ‘The OC'. She had no modeling experience before she landed her first magazine layout. She couldn't read from a teleprompter when she started at CBS Mobile. Whatever she faced, Ashley went into it as prepared as possible. She was on time, showed a real desire to learn, wasn't afraid to ask questions, and she knew her ‘role', whatever it was.
• When you are at work, you never know who is watching how you and your co-workers do your jobs. It doesn't matter whether you work in an office, at a restaurant, or in a manufacturing plant. When you go the ‘extra mile', word gets around about who is willing - or is unwilling - to take the additional steps necessary to make sure the job is done right.

This technique is all about your establishing and maintaining a positive impression in the minds of those in position to promote you or lay you off. To make yourself layoff proof, earn your reputation as someone who will go the ‘extra mile'!

You've read how a seventeen year-old with no experience was able to turn tears into triumph and start a successful career even before she completed high school. Where are most of the other American Idol semi-finalists from 2003 these days? What has allowed Ashley to be a thriving actress, model and mobile VJ when others have faded from the scene?

A big part of Ashley's success was simply doing more than others were willing to do. There are other factors, of course, but it all started with this simple technique.

To make yourself layoff proof, learn and use this and other powerful lessons to create a positive reputation at work. In a layoff, you'll be the last one they ask to go!

By the way... I hope you enjoy the attached photograph. After Ashley finished her song, Simon Cowell said "I see you singing on a cruise ship. And then I see that ship sinking." As you can see, Simon had a bit of a sinking feeling himself after the show! Seriously, he was a good sport to pose like this with us. Off camera, he's not nearly as unkind as he may seem to be on the show.

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Kip Hartman is the nation's leading authority on how anyone can make themself layoff proof. In fact, he wrote the book!

"Are You Layoff Proof?" teaches twenty-one proven techniques he personally developed and tested to become layoff proof in his own career. The article you're reading right now, 'Go the Extra Mile', is from one of the chapters of "Are You Layoff Proof?"

Powerful stories relate specific steps you can take on the job and in your spare time to protect your income, secure your position and make yourself layoff proof.

Send me an email at kip@AreYouLayoffProof.com with the words 'free chapter' in the subject line and I'll be happy to send you another interesting lesson to help you become layoff proof!