CHICAGO — Sam Glenn followed some wise counsel when he found himself in a bad job situation: His mother told him, first, don't quit. And second, to have a frank chat with his boss at the small computer communications firm where he worked.

Feeling trapped in an unhappy work environment is sending many people in search of solace and advice. With the economy sputtering and unemployment on the rise, these workers are trying to make the best of a bad situation, rather than not have a job at all.

Experts say it's critical at such a time to not burn bridges with an employer.

"No matter how unhappy you are, it's important to come in to work with your game face on so that you can be sure of retaining your current job while you're thinking about finding another one," said Mary Crane, a Denver-based consultant to Fortune 500 companies and law firms.

In fact, she says, it's advisable to even think about arriving early or staying late, acting eager and excited, even if you feel the opposite. "Make yourself the one person that every manager would hate to lose," Crane said.

Glenn, 37, of Naperville, Ill., relied on his mother's wisdom to survive a difficult first job out of college. Stuck with an overbearing, short-fused boss, he set up a meeting with him and asked if he could have someone else supervise him.

"I said, 'Look, if you want me to do better here and get you the sales you want, I need a different supervisor. I don't do well when I'm being micromanaged,"' Glenn said. "And No. 2, sometimes you yell a lot, and I don't do well with people who yell at me."'

That might sound risky, but it proved a sound strategy. His mom sold him on the idea by comparing it to a tactic he'd used successfully in junior high: challenging the school bully to a fight in front of the principal.

Just as the bully backed down and stopped bothering him, so did the boss. Inspired by that success, Glenn went on to become a workplace consultant and motivational speaker focusing on attitudes in the workplace.

Bad managers may be even more abundant in today's conditions.

"There's so much stress, anxiety and fear because of the economy," Glenn said. "The sad thing is, all these managers feel all this pressure to keep their business in the green."

Distressed workers e-mail Glenn about their workplace plights.

A woman named Susan who worked in insurance claims at a Fortune 100 company said her doctor told her that her breast cancer was likely caused by all the stress put on her by a boss who mistreated employees. After taking a medical leave to undergo chemotherapy, she had to decide whether to return to a bad work situation just for the health benefits.