By Ariane de Bonvoisin and John Kilcullen

What's triggering fears and sleepless nights for many of us about the unemployment abyss is not the job-loss stats themselves, but the depth of the cuts-and the qualifications of some of the people getting jettisoned. The questions we keep hearing are: Why do highly skilled, seemingly essential people get cut while others don't? Are there patterns? How can I make myself indispensable?

In talking with employers about what they most value in employees right now, it became clear that the key to surviving isn't so much about the skills you have, the awards you've won, or the tasks you perform day in and day out. It's as much about qualities, habits, and capacities.

This is no time to keep plugging along head down, half expecting every meeting invitation you open to be your exit interview. You must take action to embody the qualities of those employees who always get promoted and always avoid the next round of layoffs.

And don't think that just because your company isn't downsizing or has said it has no plans to that you're safe. Things can and do change fast in this environment, so take preventive measures. Plus, the kinds of qualities we're talking about will serve you well when things turn around.

By MARY LORENZ, CAREERBUILDER.COM WRITER

As a child, you were sure you were going to grow up to be a cowboy, but somewhere between waking up for Saturday morning cartoons and staying up for Conan, however, you traded in your cowboy hat for a briefcase. While it's fine that you never became a cowboy, you can't say that you've ever pursued anything with the same passion you once had for life on the open range. For whatever reason, you sort of just "fell" into the job you have today, and honestly, you're less than thrilled. So why stay?

If you've ever considered changing jobs or careers, you're not alone. Results from a recent CareerBuilder.com survey indicate that three quarters of American workers have changed career paths at least once, and one third of American workers are interested in changing careers right now.

By Rachel Zupek, CareerBuilder.com Writer

Though it's difficult to predict exactly how the year will pan out, weak job growth, a slowing economy and troubled housing markets all point to signs of an economic recession. The good news for job seekers is that employers are still hiring and certain industries will survive (even thrive) during hard times.

Thirty-two percent of employers plan to add full-time, permanent employees in 2008, according to a CareerBuilder.com survey. Most employers are cautious, but anticipate a slower, yet steady hiring environment.

"Many job seekers make the mistake of attempting a career change during downturns," says John A. Challenger, chief executive officer of Challenger, Gray & Christmas, a global outplacement consultancy. "This can be a career-crippling move. It is much better to focus on transferring your current occupations skills to industries that remain healthy."

Laura Morsch, CareerBuilder.com

Studies have shown college graduates earn up to 75 percent more than people with just a high school diploma. So students earn good grades, study for the SATs and rack up an impressive list of extracurriculars in their quest for that oh-so-important acceptance letter.

But now that you're in, can you relax? Just how important are your college grades to future employers? Are those long hours at the library and those all-night study sessions really worth it?

by Anthony Balderrama, CareerBuilder.com writer

If television sitcoms of the 1980s and 1990s are to be believed, every parent in America argued with a teenager who wanted to wear ripped jeans and ill-fitting shirts to school. These shows also implied that the youth of America ran around speaking like Valley Girls and using slang no one over 17 understood.