Losing your job for any reason is not a pleasant prospect, especially if you have a family, a mortgage, car payments, credit card debt, and utility bills that keep coming with no signs of letting up.
If you have never been laid off, you can't imagine the wear and tear on your self esteem as you see your friends and relatives enjoying the fruits of their employment, going to work every day and getting paid for doing their job
A layoff can hurt and leave you with a sense of dispair, wondering how you are going to pay your bills, where you will get the money to buy food, and how you will support yourself and your family. But you can survive a layoff and become stronger in the process.
Tips For Surviving A Layoff
•It is easier said than done, but don't get discouraged and try to keep a positive attitude.
•Go to your local unemployment office as soon as you are laid off and get your paperwork in order so you can start collecting your unemployment benefits right away.
•Don't sit around and wait for the phone to ring. You have to get up and out every day.
•Start your job search immediately and submit your resume to as many employers as possible.
•Apply for jobs online and do online job searches, but don't let the computer stop you from actually going out to seek employment personally.
•Drop off your application so employers can see your face. It may give you an advantage over the person who emails their resume.
•Polish your resume constantly. Always look for things that might enhance your resume.
•Get as many recommendations as possible from ex-bosses.
•Contact friends and relatives and let them know that you are laid off and ask for job referrals.
•Rehearse and role play job interview sessions.
•Go to job fairs and outplacement seminars.
•Contact temporary job placement agencies.
•Join networking groups.
•Enroll in college classes or technical training courses.
If you know in advance that your company is downsizing or going out of business, take the time to start getting prepared. Before a layoff happens, there are usually rumors about it in the workplace. Never think that you can't be laid off because it can happen to anyone.