In challenging times like these, layoffs or terminations can come when you least expect them. While working hard and keeping your job skills up-to-date decreases the odds that you will be let go, sometimes there is nothing you can do. If you find yourself without a job like millions of other Americans, keep this in mind: don’t panic.
While it can be difficult, staying calm and carrying on helps you keep your sanity and stay focused on doing the things you need to do to land your next job.
Get Finances Under Control
Unless you are fortunate enough to have significant savings, you will need to get your finances under control quickly, especially if you will now also be paying for your own COBRA health insurance coverage (don’t forget to return the necessary paperwork to your prior job). As an initial matter, you should consider filing for unemployment compensation right away if you are eligible at the appropriate state agency. Taking the time to create a budget is also a good idea.
You might also consider reducing or eliminating fixed payment bills like cable, cell phone plans, deferring student loans, or reducing your auto insurance payment by decreasing coverage or increasing the deductible. Sometimes it also makes sense to find cheaper housing, move-in with relatives, or replace your car with one with a lower car payment (or none at all). However, you will obviously need reliable transportation, phone, and internet access to land your next job — so be sensible with what you cut.
If you are able to, you can seek alternative sources of income and funds. With all the great tools provided by the Internet, this is not nearly as difficult as it used to be. For instance, if you have space in your home, you might find roommates through Roomates.com or make extra money renting out your place through Airbnb. If you have valuable collectibles, you can auction them off online on eBay to raise funds. If you are so lucky, your spouse or partner may be able to get extra hours at work and you can help with child care responsibilities.
Besides earning some needed funds, temporary work will demonstrate to future hiring managers that you take initiative and are resilient when facing adversity — two attributes of excellent job candidates. You can find work through a temporary staffing agency or pick up some free-lance work, which sometimes leads to full-time positions. With freelance websites such as Guru, DDIY, Elance, and Freelancer and others like Thumbtack (household and other services), there are many ways for you to earn money while looking for your next full-time job.
However, as a caveat, you should devote yourself to finding your next job, so don’t spend so much time doing temporary work that you don’t have enough time to do a proper job search.
Brush up Your Resume and Start Networking
As soon as possible, update your resume, perhaps with the assistance of a resume coach or experienced career coach. You should strive to make your resume flawless. Hiring managers often use careless typographical or formatting errors as reasons to disregard an otherwise qualified candidate. If you are not a strong writer (or even if you are), you should have others review your resume and cover letters, especially by those in similar industries or with excellent writing skills.
Once your resume is ready, you will be about to apply to jobs through online job portals including Monster.com, LinkedIn, HotJobs, CareerBuilder, SimplyHired, Indeed, Craigslist, College Recruiter, and others. Additionally, these sites often have excellent career and job source resources that are worth exploring. However, it is most effective to apply to jobs directly through individual company sites if possible.
According to CollegeRecruiter.com, 80% of all jobs are never advertised, but instead are filled through a combination of internal postings and employee referrals. For this reason, you should supplement the time spent applying for jobs with time networking in-person and online such as with LinkedIn. To network in person, join professional associations and re-acquaint yourself with old colleagues and others in your professional network. They may know of job opportunities that would not otherwise come your way. Though it is not fun telling people that you are unemployed, you should nonetheless let people know that you are looking for a job as they often come across promising opportunities and forward them your way.
Keep Working at Finding a Great Job
When you are out-of-work, it is very tempting to become apathetic and sleep in. However, it is a good idea to treat the job search like a job — striving to keep a regular 40-hour work week. Working hard will keep your mind occupied and give you a sense of control over your life, which can be invaluable when you are feeling down and out.
Besides applying for jobs, you should also practice your interviewing skills, including by reviewing behavioral-based interviewing techniques such as the STAR method. Updating your job skills by obtaining certificates, taking a class, or similar activities can also be effective if you can do them without blowing up your budget.
Finally, it is important to do things to keep a good attitude. Being out-of-work and looking for a job can be really tough on the self-esteem, so you should seek support wherever that can be found. Partnering with another job searcher can also help give you motivation. And hopefully, if you do these things, you will be back to work in no time.
