Surviving a Job Loss
For the past year and a half, the term “lay-offs” has dominated economic verbatim. In other words, the unemployment rate is at 10% (a 26 year high) and a staggering 15,300,000 Americans are out of work. With unemployment so widespread, how do you survive a job loss? Read on!
1. Don’t Be Embarrassed - Read the statistics above! If you’ve lost your job, you’re obviously not alone. Don’t feel ashamed about what happened and don’t be afraid to tell people that you’ve lost your job.
2. Accept It - It may be that you were fired from a job that you had for the past 2 years, 10 years or 30 years. Aside from the financial damage of a job loss, the emotional toll can be just as bad. No matter how long you worked at the job you recently lost, you need to come to terms with what has just occurred. This is going to be difficult, but accepting the job loss and mentally preparing your mind to move forward are all critical steps to achieving success after being laid off. You may be in shock for a few days, but the longer you spend moaning and groaning over your job loss, the longer it will take to find a new job.
3. Keep Going - Now that you’ve accepted the reality of the situation, you need to find another job. Whether you stay in the same industry, start your own business or completely change careers, you have to do something. You cannot just sit around doing nothing! Start working on your resume, exhaust your “Rolodex” and see if your friends and acquaintances have any job offerings for you. Use the Internet to assist you in your job search. Send out your resumes, apply for jobs and FOLLOW-UP. Following-up is critical. In other words, if you speak to a recruiter or if you go on an interview, always send the person an e-mail or give them a phone call thanking them for their time. Keep track of who you speak to and make sure to always have their contact information handy! If you apply for a job and receive no response, then you need to call them! It’s also a wise idea to contact the employer to make sure they have received your resume/information (especially if you applied for a job online). This way, the employer can hear you speak and get a feel for how you’ll perform if hired. Don’t wait around for the phone to ring, because chances are it’s not going to happen. If you want another job, go get it!
4. Disappointment - It’s Part of the Game - Yes, you read that right! Not every employer is going to hire you. You may get rejected from most jobs and employers may tell you that you’re not an appropriate fit for the job. Remember, you’re only looking forone job. If you apply to 10 similar jobs and only one accepts you, then consider that a success!
5. Create Your Own Job - If your job search is simply not working out, you may need to create your own job – but be careful! Don’t risk all the equity in your house or all of your retirement savings by opening up some random business. Do something you enjoy and open a business in an industry that you know and have experience in.
6. Never Give Up - You’ve heard this saying many times before, but it is so true! It may take you more than 6 months to find another job. As awful as that sounds, that’s the type of economy we’re in right now. While you’re searching for another job, you may need to take a temporary job just to help pay the bills. Never stop and keep your eye on the prize!!
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