Q: It has been six months since I graduated from college, and I have lost three jobs already. It seems that three weeks after I start, the boss would tell me that he needed to lay me off because they don’t have enough work for me, or they have some sort of problem. How can I guard against being jerked around? – Ray

A: J.T.: Finding a company that can keep you employed requires a little detective work. A recent client came to me because he, too, had a bad experience with his former employer, including a bounced paycheck. He was determined to make sure the next company was legit. His job search resulted in two interviews with different companies. Prior to going, I had him search for each company on the Internet to see if it was in the news (for good or bad reasons), so he could further confirm its credibility.

Dale: Hold on. When you said “a little detective work,” I thought you were getting to the real issue. Detectives (at least the ones in novels) are always saying, “I don’t believe in coincidence.” Here we have a bizarre coincidence: Three companies each fell into an organizational swoon exactly three weeks after hiring Ray. The detecting I suggest for you, Ray, is that you go back to your co-workers at the company – not the bosses, who’ll duck you for the sake of their convenience or legal liability – and ask what you might have done differently. If all the co-workers also have been laid off, well then it might be bad luck. If not, you’ve got to persuade them to help you understand what’s wrong.

J.T.: Worth doing, but it’s quite possible to be terrible at picking employers, especially for a rookie. Either way, eventually Ray is going to need to assess the company’s ability to keep him employed and happy for the long term. Instead of just answering questions during interviews, try asking questions like, “What will I need to do on the job to ensure that I will be a valued long-term employee?” The client I mentioned earlier asked such questions on both interviews.

Ironically, the company he initially felt had more interesting work and was offering more money had a very tough time answering. Eventually, he opted for the second company, seeing the first company as offering “hazard pay.” He is happily employed and on track to a raise and a promotion.

Dale: There’s an important job-market principle in that story: The company that pays the most usually has to.