Be prepared for the pink-slip blues — and help your friends cope
| • | Larning to survice job-loss shock |
| • | Follow these four tips precisely if laid off |
Advertiser Staff
Some tips on preparing yourself for a layoff
• Find out what kind of severance package, if any, the company plans to offer.
• Ask about outplacement programs that could assist in finding a new job or locate training programs.
• Update the resume.
• Build up savings accounts and reduce debt load.
• Network with friends, co-workers and others who may have job leads.
• Learn new skills to become more marketable.
Tips for laid-off workers
• Practice interviewing.
• Devise a strategy plan, then break it down into small, daily steps. Even if you don't get a job immediately, celebrate each completed step as a success.
• Maintain your health.
• Review your finances. Figure out a budget for the next six months. (Most people find work within 90 days.)
• Cut costs by not using credit cards or eating out.
• Check with the utility company and credit card agencies about a reduced payment plan.
• Think positively. Instead of saying, "I'll never get a job. I'm too old ... not educated enough ... a minority," say, "Someone out there needs me. I get things done. I'm willing to learn. I solve problems."
Tips for family, friends and colleagues of laid-off workers
• Acknowledge what has happened. If you don't know what to say, tell them that — or just offer sympathy.
• Follow up cards, food or a phone call, if it's appropriate.
• Offer any services you can, such as help in writing a resume or mentioning a contact for a job.
• Allow them to talk. People who've suffered a trauma or loss often need to tell the story over and over.
• Don't tell them that it's God's will, all for the best or better in the long run.
