You've lost your job. Now What?
Posted: Wednesday, January 21, 2009
by Ben Ramsey
Ramsey Solutions
So, you've just lost your job, or have gotten the pink slip along with your check - you are now officially unemployed. Now what? This article will talk about the basics of how to cope with being unemployed. The most important thing to remember once you do lose your job is to get your separation papers - it is the law that you receive them within a certain period of time (usually between two weeks and a month). Also, ask your employer the reason why you are being let go. The answer can mean the difference between waiting extra weeks for Employment Insurance to begin and having it start right away.
If you haven't already come to the realization that you need a new job and you need it NOW, going to the State Employment Commission office will definitely put you face to face with that reality. But guess what? You have a job - a full-time job - you're looking for a new one. So gear yourself up to do just that.
Your friends and families may tell you to take some time off and just relax. Don't do it! Treat your job search like a real job. If you need to take some time off, "schedule it", just like you would if you were back at your old job.
Set a time to begin each morning. It doesn't mean that you have to start at 7 am sharp, but don't try to just sleep the day away. Set a time that's going to work with your personal and family obligations, but I would urge you to not start later than 9 in the morning.
Remember, this is a real job. The first thing you need to do is create or update your resume. While you are doing this begin writing down the kind of work you would like to be doing. Just because you were a customer service representative doesn't mean that's what you have to do at your next job. Don't go too far outside your skill set, unless you want to get new skills through training or educational programs. If this is the case, check with your local colleges to see if they have free training and/or classes in the area you want to focus your job search on.
Be sure to check in with your contact at the State Employment Commission office one or two times a week. They have access to many resources that are available to you. Take advantage of them! You can get assistance with everything from resume writingto government grants to help start your own small business.
You will realize before long that all of this preparation and job searching takes up a lot of your time. Be sure to fit time in for breaks and lunch. Also, be sure to get a good night sleep each night. It's important that you remain in shape both emotionally and physically. By doing this you'll fight off the blahs that usually accompany unemployment and keep yourself ready for interviews.
I would also recommend that you begin creating a schedule for yourself. It's easy to get overwhelmed during a job search. I know for myself, the hardest thing is keeping track of all the places I send resumes to - especially online. The last thing you want to do is duplicate an application. Also, try to make time to do some networking. Let people know that you are looking for a new job. Many times people that you see all the time - family, church members, fellow gym members... will know of an opportunity that you would not have heard of otherwise. Networking is extremely important during a job search.
Make sure your resume and cover letteris the best it can be, and when you apply to a job personalize the cover letter so it doesn't look like you are just mass producing your mailings. Instead of saying "I believe that my skills would be an asset to your company" insert the name of the company "I believe that my skills would be an asset to Company ABC". It's not difficult to do, and it may make all the difference in the world when you are compared with all the other people who've applied for the same job.
It's important to make sure you keep yourself on track every day. Apply for any job which you feel may be a good fit for you. There are dozens ofnew jobs posted everyday on sites such as Monster.com, Careerbuilder, Dice.com, etc., as well as postings in your local paper. Make sure that you apply to positions everyday. The more irons you have in the fire, the more likely it is that one of them will get noticed.
Best of luck to you in your job search. The most important thing is to keep a positive attitude, and never give up. You job loss is not the end of the world, it's just a small setback that may end up being the best thing that could have happened to you. The bad thing is, you won't realize that until you have another job that you enjoy.
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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)Good article, Ben. I had never thought of unemployment in that particular light before, but it makes a lot of sense. Looking for a job---is a job. Hopefully you have unemployment to pay you to look while you're looking.Thanks for sharing.Sandra
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