Don't wait on layoffs for career check.(Chicago Tribune)

Downsizing, layoffs, staffing adjustment, right-sizing, employee reorganization.

Whatever euphemisms employers use, the plain truth is that massive firings nationwide have returned after some five years in which employees enjoyed a tight labor market.

"Downsizing certainly is all over the headlines," said Patrick Lennahan, director of the career center at Roger Williams University in Bristol, R.I. "Business sees it as a quick fix, a fast way to eliminate expenses."

Even if you believe your job is safe, in a slowing labor market it is wise to do what you can to protect your current employment status.

"Don't wait for a layoff notice to start …