What to do when you get laid off

What to do when you get laid off!

Just ask anybody you see and I'll bet they can name at least 3 people they know who have recently been laid off from work! It's a sign of the times. I was laid off on August 31 2008. To make things worse, I no longer can drive due to health issues! Did I panic when I was laid off? Of course I did...no more pay check, no health insurance or life insurance, no 401-k, etc.

Today is March 15, 2009. "Beware the Ides of March!" Anyone who has read Shakespeare will remember the soothsayer's warning to Julius Caesar. However, today is not a day of foreboding, and neither was August 31, 2008.

Here are a few things I found out about being laid off.

1. It gives you time for yourself.
2. Once you get over the initial shock and feeling of self-pity and frustration, you will actually enjoy making your own schedule.
3. You will discover your talents and learn how to make money using these talents.

In order to survive after being laid off, the first thing you need to do is take a serious look at your financial situation. Do you have anything to fall back on? A 401-k, annuity, savings, stocks, bonds, Swiss bank account, money stuffed in your mattress? I had very little to fall back on and it was quickly used up because the monthly bills keep on coming!

The next thing you need to do is decide if you are going to look for a new job or if you will work from home or collect unemployment or retire or whatever. If the answer is look for a job, then you had better get your resume in order and start looking! You will not be the only one out there looking for that job; our economy is a mess and the competition will be tough, no matter what field of work you are searching for! Make looking for a job your new full-time job.

Everyone has some talents. Look deep inside yourself and find out what it is you are really good at and enjoy doing, then figure out a way to make money doing it! I like to design web sites, write articles and short stories, and play the guitar. All of these are marketable talents and since August 31st, 2008 they have been my only source of income.

If you are going to work from home you will need some quiet office space and a lot of discipline. It's real easy to get distracted, so get organized and get tough on yourself!

The most important thing to do is talk to everybody you come in contact with and ask them what they do and if their company is hiring or if they know where you can find a job. Networking works and you will be surprised at the results. You will have to swallow your pride and tell people that you lost your job, but if you don't you just may miss out on a great opportunity. I ended up with a telemarketing job I can do from home by talking to people about my layoff.

Don't loose touch with your former co-workers. Get their phone numbers and email addresses so you can keep up with them. They know you and they may be able to help you out in your job search.

That's it in a nutshell...no need to stress out and worry. All you have to do is keep the faith and do whatever it is you do best. Remember, God never closes a door on you without opening another!

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