Prepare now, in case you get pink slip

Advertiser Staff and News Services

Around the country, hundreds of thousands of workers have been laid off because of the economic downturn wrought by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

In Hawai'i in the past four weeks, more than 11,000 workers have filed new claims for unemployment benefits as they cope with layoffs, furloughs and reduced work hours while the state's tourism industry adjusts to slower business because of travel-wary consumers.

If you think there's a possibility you may be a layoff target, act now to do a few things that will put you ahead of the game if a pink slip does come your way.

• Heed the advice of Catherine Keretsis, who until Sept. 28 was a marketing communications manager with iXL, a New York City consulting and services company. At the end of August, she got the word that her job would be eliminated, but she actually saw the handwriting on the wall much earlier. So each day she asked herself, "What can I do today to prepare?"

During her window of opportunity, she was able to broadcast her resume to her entire list of e-mail contacts, as well as print out contact lists and e-mail them to her personal account as a backup. She also started printing out examples of her work — nonproprietary ones — after a friend asked if she had a portfolio. This is a wise thing for anyone who needs one to have on hand and update frequently.

One key bit of advice: Cut expenses in order to save more money. "Save, save, save" is what she advises people in her shoes now.

• And here's something else you'll probably be glad you did whether a pink slip comes next week or next year or even never: Add one more professional to your Rolodex or Palm Pilot, be it a career counselor, life coach or other career expert who will help you navigate this murky time and those that may lie ahead, assuming your employer is one that does not offer a generous outplacement arrangement. Check out the International Coach Federation at www.coachfederation.org. (Whatever you do, ask for references — and check them.)

• If you're not able to pay, check out your college alumni association, public library or the many government-financed one-stop career centers that provide counseling, resume help and job outlooks.

• If you envision yourself wanting to change industries or functions, check out the Occupational Outlook Handbook, put out by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. You can catch it online at stats.bls.gov/ocohome.htm.

What this preparation is all about, says Hanse, is lessening the "brutal psychological blow" of a layoff by getting yourself ready, "so you don't get caught high and dry with no game plan at all."