In my case, I watched a job I had volunteered to do – the position I was recruited for never materialized which was an early warning sign in and of itself – was increasingly marginalized through failure to act on recommendations and advice and by subtle erosion of my responsibilities and authority. It was clear that I was not able to make a contribution commensurate with my compensation.

To compound matters, there was increasing talk about cost containment, burn rate, and other "headcount cuts are imminent" talk bouncing around. It was clear that the situation was likely to go from bad to worse.

So I sat down with the CEO of the company, explained my concerns and asked for a separation package. I explained that I felt this was best both for the company and me and that it was purely business... nothing personal.

I walked away with an equitable agreement and severance package. A month later, the company laid off 25% of its staff including a couple of senior managers. Unlike them, I made my plans for future work at the same time I was conducting my separation and so had a smooth transition from full-time employment to consulting and freelance writing.

I'm now making more money and have a much greater degree of control over my own existence.

My advice? Keep your eyes open and your radar tuned. If thinks feel "bad" they may actually be. Trust your instincts and make sure you are prepared for circumstances beyond your control as well as you can be.