...On Losing Your Job

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Word Count: 532

Summary: 5 practical activities to do as soon as your learn
that you are losing your job.

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...On Losing Your Job

Getting downsized, right-sized, laid off or "let go" can be
very difficult to handle. Here are five ideas to implement
as soon as you learn you that you are losing your job:

1. Be angry......but only for 1 day (2 at the most). It
is totally normal to feel angry or betrayed when you lose
your job. The problem with anger, however, is that it is
seldom productive. If you are spending a lot of energy
being upset you can't focus on looking for a new job or be
effective in an interview. Give yourself time to be angry,
let that anger out, then move on.

2. Get a picture of your financial situation. The loss of
income is undoubtedly the most difficult part to deal with
during an unexpected job loss. This is especially
frightening if you are the main bread winner of the family.
As soon as you learn that your job is coming to an end
prepare a financial statement. Write out all of your
monthly expenses. Have separate categories for necessities
(like rent and groceries), nice to haves (like cable), and
obligations (like credit cards). Know how much money you
need every month to cover your necessities, be prepared to
eliminate some nice-to-haves and inform lenders if you
anticipate being unable to handle obligations. Being armed
with this information will help alleviate some of the stress
of the unknown. This financial picture can tell you how long
you can live off of your savings or how much you need to
bring in from a part time or temp job while you look for a
new permanent job.

3. Apply for unemployment as soon as possible. As soon as
you find out that you are losing your job, call your state's
unemployment office to understand how the program works, how
soon you can apply, and when your benefits go into effect.
Some states have a waiting period and it may take 3 - 4 weeks
for your claim to be processed.

4. Make your other talents known. Sometimes you will find
a company that is laying off employees in one department
while hiring new people in another department. This is due
to a skill gap. A company can't just take an employee from
Department A and move him into Department B if the employee
doesn't have the skills to do that other job. But, if you
are someone who does have those skills, either from a hobby,
volunteer work, or education, you might be able to make a
case for a transfer. This is a long shot, but you'll never
know if you don't ask.

5. Think about what you really really really want to do
next. If you are one of the "lucky" people who get advanced
warning that your job is coming to an end (like an
announcement that your office is closing in 6 months) don't
hit the panic button and immediately go out to find another
job. Instead use the time to "find" yourself. Read,
evaluate your hobbies, investigate jobs that you think would
be interesting. This way your next career move will be
deliberate and planned, not a knee-jerk response.

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© Copyright 2002 All Rights Reserved. Myrtis Smith is a
personal coach. Her mission is to help people create their
preferred future and have fun doing it. Sign up for her
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