5 Alphanista Things to Do When You Get Laid Off

By Guest Wendy Coakley-Thompson

In two decades in the workplace, I’ve been laid off three times – coincidentally when there was a President Bush in office.

It’s not so bad at first. You experience jubilation at sleeping in and watching all the Oprah you can stand. Then, worry sets in, along with sleeplessness… and the realization that you’ve watched all the Oprah you can stand.

Being laid off sucks.

If you’ve recently lost your job, you’re not alone. According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, as of March of this year, the unemployment rate rose to 8.5%.

Since December of 2007, like magician David Copperfield just went POOF, 5.1 million jobs disappeared!  Lately, it seems like people who haven’t been laid off are the anomaly.

If you’re among the 5.1 million, listen up. Here’s what worked for me when I found myself out of a job:

1.    Freak out

Allow yourself to feel badly and act out – within reason, of course. You’ve experienced a devastating loss; accept the freak-out as part of the grieving process. Trust me; the freak-out is coming anyway. You might as well get it over with now, on your own terms, so that you can focus on what you have to do.

2.    Assess Your Resources

Whether it’s time, money, contacts, etc., see what type and amount of these resources you have at your disposal. This will drive how long you allow for your freak-out and how much time you have to get to Step #5.

3.    Re-examine your career goals

The last time I was laid off, I used that time to ask myself what exactly I wanted to do with my life. Maybe you want to be an actor instead of a nurse, or a teacher… or an instructional designer. Use this time to find out. If you still want to be a lineman for the county, that’s fine too.

4.    Connect with family and friends.

Oprah just aired a show on Dan Buettner’s book The Blue Zones, where more people over the age of 100 tend to live than anywhere else on the planet.

One thing centenarians in all five blue zones have in common is their strong interpersonal networks. Back to you.

The worst thing you can do at this time is to shut people out. You mightn’t live to be 100, but strengthening your interpersonal connections keeps your mind off your own problems and lessens your stress and worry.

5.    Plan your attack on the job market

Now that you’ve gone through Steps #1-4 and done the up-front work, you are ready for your strategic assault on the classifieds, Monster.com, Careerbuilder.com, USAJobs.gov, headhunters, and your connections in the workplace.

Having a healthy mindset increases your likelihood of scattering your precious seeds only on the fertile ground of employers who are ready for you.

Of course, for some, this might not be a linear process. But it’s what worked for this Alphanista. The chances are good that it might work for you too.
Good luck!

Author Wendy Coakley-Thompson is the DC Publishing Industry Examiner at Examiner.com. Check her out at http://www.examiner.com/x-6658-DC-Publishing-Industry-Examiner.

Originally posted 2019-11-11 06:26:06.