Your coworkers appear to be nervous. The atmosphere in your office is getting tense. You can smell it in the air: Layoffs are coming.The easiest way to shake the fear that your job is at risk? Be prepared for the worst.

Have a game plan. For most people that starts by checking their finances. If you haven't been saving money, start doing so. Also rethink any planned major purchases, such as a car or a house. These big buys may need to wait until your job is more secure -- or until you find a new one.

This article will provide you with some other tips to help you get ready for a possible layoff.

Keep Your Preparations Discreet

You may suspect layoffs are coming ... but are you absolutely sure?

Companies change course all the time. Perhaps you're not the one who will get laid off. Perhaps no one will be laid off. You never really know until the actual day arrives.

This means you must keep all of your preparations secret. Don't let anyone at work know that you are updating your resume or gathering papers for a portfolio -- it could put your job in jeopardy. Instead, try to keep up the appearance of "business as usual."

This includes: Do not provide your workplace phone number to networking contacts and do not use the office copier to make copies of your resume.

And if a coworker starts to talk to you about the possibility of getting laid off, try to change the subject. Panic begets panic -- gossiping about possible layoffs will only make your work environment even more tense.

Ready Your Resume

If you suspect you may become a victim of layoffs, you need to start thinking about a potential job search as soon as possible. And the best place to start is with your resume.

Even though you have not been laid off yet, you should revise your resume as though you have. This is one less task you'll have to do later on when you might have to worry about other issues such as a severance package or health insurance.

Having your resume prepared in advance will relieve some of the immediate pressure of pulling your information together and allow you to calmly start a proper search.

Start Networking

It's always a good idea to maintain a strong career network. You never know when those connections may come in useful.

If you suspect that layoffs are around the corner, now is the perfect time to reconnect with those contacts you haven't spoken to in a while.

Begin by updating your network. Get the latest phone numbers and e-mail addresses of people you've lost touch with. Then call or write these contacts and chat a bit. Don't come right out and ask for a job (save that conversation for later, if necessary). Instead, just use this time to get your network moving again.

Create a Portfolio

One of the biggest problems that laid-off workers face is the realization that they don't have any examples of recent work to show prospective employers.

Presentations, speeches, writing samples, performance reviews, complimentary letters written by your supervisor or others in the company -- these can all be gathered to form an impressive portfolio. But if you're laid off, you may not get the chance to retrieve these documents off your computer.

The solution: If you suspect layoffs are coming, begin gathering copies of the work you are most proud of.

An important note: Do not put anything in your portfolio that could expose you to legal trouble. Private company information and data, for instance, are usually confidential and cannot be used in a portfolio. If you are unsure if a piece of your work is confidential or not, err on the side of caution and don't include it.