Maybe you were blindsided or maybe you saw it coming. Either way, you have some important decisions to make. For most, the first reaction after getting canned is either getting emotional or diving right back into the job search. Before you make any moves, here are 10 suggestions for your first days of unemployment.
1. Take 2 days off. You probably have more options than you think and rushing into a job search can be calamitous. Designate a “time out” period and stick to it. Give yourself a chance to shake the desperation and really think about what you want to do next. Get out of the house, ditch the computer for a while, exercise, and make sure that you feel healthy when you hit the job trail.
2. Get your finances in order. Take a cursory look at your finances and make an action plan for staying in the green. Organize your expenses and look to trim as much as possible. For many, putting together a reasonable budget can help you feel back in control.
3. File for unemployment. Especially when unemployment rises, states get bogged down with new claims. For many, it can take over a month to start getting checks. If you get severance, that doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t collect. Look at your state profile on TheCanned.com for specific directions.
4. Get your story straight. You need to answer a few important questions before you can make a productive work search: are you willing to move? do you want to stay on track or make a career transition? aside from money, what types of fringe benefits or work/life perks do you really want? Equally important, make sure that you know why you got canned and how you want to address it in interviews.
5. Update your resume. Use action words and sharp adjectives. Be as specific as you possibly can on projects. Make yourself sound as skilled, successful, and capable as you possibly can without lying. You can perfect it over time, but get it into working order as soon as possible.
6. Put together an outreach strategy. The best way to find a new job is by networking. Start with your former colleagues, then move on to friends, family, former clients, alumni, etc. Avoid email lists. Nothing feels more impersonal than a “:CC” list 100 people long. Regardless of the truth, people think that you have time to burn now. Don’t hesitate to pick up the phone.
7. Establish a job board perusal routine. As you can see in the Job Board Listings section of TheCanned.com, there are hundreds and hundreds of sources for new job advertisements. Find the ones that are most relevant to you and get into a routine for when to check them. Where possible, take advantage of email subscriptions and RSS feeds.
8. Take advantage of the time off. Job searching is certainly a full-time job, especially in the beginning. But some of your search can be conducted outside of business hours and from anywhere with an internet connection. Take some time to travel or reconnect with friends. Get a girlfriend or boyfriend. Explore the day-time side of your city that you’ve never had time to enjoy.
9. Read up. If you’re planning on interviewing, having a command of the headlines for the world and for your field is key. If you ever plan on going back to school, now is a good time to study for the entrance exams. GMAT scores, for example, are valid for 5 years from test day. Why not study up and ace the test while you have the time?
10. Stay active. Wake up each morning even though you don’t have to and make sure that you stay fit and eat well. Make time to work out– maybe you can finally hit that elusive fitness goal. Instead of takeout, try learning to cook. If you look and feel good, it will make it easier to stay confident. Most importantly: Grow Your Layoff Beard.
March 16th, 2009 at 12:19 pm
This is a very good and useful article with a lot of practical tips.
March 16th, 2009 at 2:39 pm
GREAT INFO…ALSO, THINK ABOUT STARTING YOUR OWN BUSINESS..
March 16th, 2009 at 3:09 pm
great site, also Think about volunteering four hours a
week at the hospital or vet’s
Meet more people and more networking… I am a busy Mom
and need a full time job, in the mean time I volunteer one day a week at the hospital. I need cheap car insurance right now. Any suggestions?
March 16th, 2009 at 7:59 pm
Hi. I lost my job about a month ago and it was extremely devastating. After a a couple weeks I was able to change my depressing thoughts by…being thankful for all that I still have and being thankful for the time off. Time off has given me some time to get re-organized and assess what it is I really want to do and look at other opportunities that I never considered before. I also listen to CD’s and watch DVD’s that offer ways to change the way we think and get into the right frame of mind …like The Secret (by Rhonda Byrne)and Your Best Life No (by Joel Osteen). I listen to them often because because it is easy to fall into a depressing state of mind if I don’t. There are so many things we can do to get into a positive frame of mind and it helps especially when you get the opportunity to interview for a job.
Personally..I have had a dream for a long time to license some designs I have done and now I have some time to research it and to talk to people during business hours. Another thing I am doing is creating a website with my work so if some freelance work or a job possibility is available I can quickly show someone my portfolio. I figure freelance work may be a good alternative right now since many places aren’t wanting to commit to hiring full-time. There are many websites that have templates for building a website and are very inexpensive if you want to create your own website but aren’t that talented with websites (like me).
Good luck to anyone who reads this who is looking for a job, hope you find something soon!!! I too hope to find work soon!!!
March 17th, 2009 at 8:33 am
I recieved a speaker phone call from the HR Director on October 29th, 2009 from The Marriott Resort Hotel here in Panama City Florida that my position as hotel operator was being terminated due to “budget cuts”, and I was being being terminated too. Thirty minutes after recieving that phone call I registered for my unemployed benefits, signed up with,and posting my Resume on Monster, and florida’s Workforce, and Employ Now. I did take some time for myself in the form of sprucing up the house inside and out, Getting some much needed sleep, and seeing my family over the holidays.
I have been appling for jobs, some 4or 5 a week now since October 2008. I have had NO call backs, No interviews, NO referrals. I live in a tourist town. Population 800,000 plus. The majority of the jobs here are in the Hospitality/Service Industry. Many of these jobs do not start hiring until the season begins in the spring. Most of these jobs will end when the season ends in the fall. I am not looking to go back into these types of jobs. I want something more perminate, which is what I thought I had.
Being told you are no longer wanted or needed is a devastating emotionally thing to happen to anyone. I would also recommend that if you can, see a therapist to help you deal with that as well.
March 17th, 2009 at 4:41 pm
I was released from a NY financial investment firm in November. After reading the above “top 10 list,” it appears I’ve been on track since that awful day. I’m continually looking to new resources, and this has “sparked” my creativity. I am no longer excellent. I am extraordinary! Trust me . . . it works with cover letters to employers! I find it coincidental that I read this after taking an afternoon to have my hair cut by my favorite stylist today. Hey, it’s Tuesday. I can’t even remember the last time I was able to go to her on a Tuesday! Good luck to all of you out there in “unemployment land!”
March 29th, 2009 at 12:49 am
I was told by the area supervisor that my service is no longer needed by the company…everybody in the workplace knows how hard I work. One big factor is that if the management “doesn’t like you” maybe because of the race, personality or whatever…if an employee is doing the job well..why terminate just because you don’t like that employee…its so emotionally devastating! In fact, i’m trying to make myself busy to avoid falling into depression state…and i’m glad that you have this top 10 lists. It really helps and its so motivating and it gives me hope to read comments and how they were able to cope or still coping with the unemployment. More power! I sincerely hope and pray that we will be able to get jobs and management people who has sound judgment. Amen.
June 21st, 2009 at 8:41 pm
In tip #8, you casually say “*get* a girlfriend or a boyfriend.” Really? Like you can just walk into a store and buy or rent one? Not exactly the kind of tip that one can just take 5 minutes and follow through on, is it?
Heck, there are tons of books, services, experts, etc ad nauseum making lots of money to help people with just this one (simple?) thing.
Ok, rant over. Carry on!
June 25th, 2009 at 12:53 pm
I don’t know about you, but i can just walk into a store and in 5 minutes get a girlfriend… and I haven’t even spent a dime on these books you speak of…