By Roberta Chinsky Matuson, for Yahoo! HotJobs

Are you one of the many people who have their heads hidden behind their cubicles hoping the latest economic storm will blow over? If so, you have a lot of company. However, hope is not a strategy. It is better to be prepared than to get caught in a landslide.

These are five signs your job is in jeopardy:

Mergers and Acquisitions

Mergers and acquisitions can mean only one thing to employees: duplication. In all likelihood, there is someone in the other company performing a similar job to the one you have in your company. In the end, only one of you will be left standing. Never assume that person will be you.

Jaguars Become Rabbits

A clear sign that your company has fallen on hard times is when the president trades in his posh Jaguar for a Volkswagen Rabbit. He may be telling everyone he is making the switch to conserve energy. Don't believe it. This is a drastic cost-cutting measure. Your job may be next.

People No Longer Seek Your Opinion

You used to be the "go to" person when people were seeking advice on critical projects. Now they seem to go to everyone else but you. Do they know something you don't know? Has your name been added to the layoff list?

You Are No Longer on the Invite List

Your calendar used to be filled to the brim with meetings. Now you have time on your hands to sneak in a manicure. Yet, everyone around you seems to be constantly in meetings. If you've gone from being an "A Player" to barely being ranked, then it's a clear sign you are no longer indispensible.

Why wait to be escorted out the door? Now is a good time to see what else is out there.

Your Competitors Are Slicing Their Workforces

Constant pruning by your competitors is a sign that your industry is in despair. Take the airline industry. Grounded flights, decreased services and a reduction in the number of travelers can only mean one thing to employees in this industry: more layoffs on the horizon. It's only a matter of time before your company jumps on board.

Don't be caught waiting for the ax to fall. Be alert and notice the signs that your ties with your employer may soon be severed.

[Roberta Chinsky Matuson is the president of Human Resource Solutions.]