It’s easier than you think to get fired. You don’t have to embezzle, fail to show up, or curse out the entire office. What’s worse, employers don’t even have to tell you why they’re letting you go. If you’re an at-will employee, you can be shown the door at any time for just about any reason. And if you’re an underperformer, complainer, or if you rub people the wrong way, your company may be looking for reasons to cut you off. But you can minimize your chances by not underperforming, complaining, or doing these five things:

1. Poorly timing your sick or vacation days. We all get sick, and we can all benefit from taking our accrued vacation time. But there’s a right and a wrong way to go about it. Repeatedly calling in sick on Mondays or right before a major project or event can look a little too convenient to be true. And taking a vacation during a major project or during the company’s busy season can show poorly on your commitment to the company’s success. You might be legitimately sick, but remember that when you’re not around, any work that must be completed falls on others’ shoulders, which is bound to cause reservations and resentment.
2. Lying during the hiring process. Everyone pads their resume, right? And once I’m hired, I’ll get off scot-free! Um, not exactly. Your application materials can resurface at any time, especially if you’re underperforming or if you come under scrutiny for a misstep. Any inconsistency or embellishment could be used to push you out, and it doesn’t even have to be egregious, such as falsifying a college degree. Remember, your honesty is a basic reflection of your character, and who wants to work with a liar?
3. Not owning your (or your team’s) mistakes. Just like Mom said, lying will only make it worse, so if you make a mistake, own it. Everyone makes mistakes—your bosses have made a ton on their paths to success—and you’ll get a lot more respect by admitting your mistakes than by trying to weasel out of them. And don’t make excuses! Maybe technology, time, or your team failed you, but ultimately, the buck stops with you.
4. Closely associating with toxic colleagues. Who is a toxic colleague? Think about the office gossips, complainers, flakes, and “mean girls.” Maybe these labels shouldn’t exist, but they do. And as office politics are often about who you align yourself with, it’s important to choose your birds of a feather carefully, lest you be lumped in with these bad behaviors when promotions or layoffs come around.
5. Staying unseen and unheard. Jim in Finance annoys you at all-staffs because he touts his projects and successes like it’s The Jim Hour. We know, Jim, we know . . . or do we? Jim may as well paint his achievements on the side of a skyscraper, but he is not anonymous. In today’s ultra-competitive workplace, it’s not enough to quietly do your day-to-day, head down, unseen and unsung. Sometimes you have to toot your own horn to get noticed, which is especially true during promotions and layoffs. You may have stayed late all week perfecting that project, but what good is it if no one knows about it? And if you don’t share your ideas during meetings, how will people know even have ideas? It may seem like boasting, but think of it as showing you’re invested and ensuring your spot on the roster.