Dealing With Job Loss

Losing a job can be a horrible experience, but you are not alone. So how to move forward to something better?

First things first: breathe. You will get through this. The initial feelings of shock, panic and anger will ease with time. It is important to put the situation into perspective and begin to move on. This is a great opportunity to focus on taking care of yourself. Take an hour to go for a walk in the morning, and take a bit more care to eat healthy. You will feel the difference.

Second, it’s very important to understand that your prospective next employer, your friends and family members are not responsible for your situation. You gain nothing by taking out your frustrations on them. If friends and family members are willing to lend a sympathetic ear, you have wonderful support. But an interview for your next job is not the place to express your feelings about your recent job loss, and even with friends and family there is a point where you need to own your situation and take responsibility for moving forward.

Put a plan in place.

Take an honest look at your spending and make some hard decisions about what is absolutely necessary to survive and what are the things that you want, but can do without for a while. Take some time to cut out costs that are not necessary. Cutting out costs is the same as earning money except you don’t have to pay taxes on cut costs!

Update your understanding of financial accounts, savings and any payments that you have coming to you. How much are your monthly bills? What can be eliminated? Often utility companies, banks and credit card companies, for example, encourage you to speak with them about ways to make things more manageable for you. But you still need to read the fine print and make sure something being proposed is actually good for you.

Inform friends, family and people you have worked with before. You may feel embarrassed or ashamed by what has happened, but don’t let negative thinking get in the way of the help that may be available to you from your network of support. These people know what you have to offer and want the best for you. They will be more than happy to keep their eyes and ears open for any employment opportunities that might be right for you that they hear about. They can’t guarantee you a job, but they can often let you know about an opening, or sometimes even help get you in the door for an interview.

Ask your family members for ideas on how you can earn extra money or decrease your expenses.

Request information on the extension of your health and life insurance benefits. Ask your former employer about opportunities for continued health benefits for laid off workers under COBRA.

Register for work by going to www.michiganworks.org or calling 1(800) 285-WORKS. It’s tempting to take time off for a break, but you don’t know how long it will take to find employment. Keep an open mind when applying for a job. Take a comprehensive look at all of your talents, skills and qualities. You want to match them up with an employer who has a need for someone with the value that you have to offer. Your resume should be up to date, and highlight the education, credentials, experience and skills that you have to offer an employer that are relevant to that job you are seeking.

The worst thing you can do is sit at home and feel sorry for yourself. Get out there and volunteer, catch up with friends, and go visit places you think you might like to work at. Time is a valuable gift. Use it wisely.

The Information Center's telephone helpline is free (734) 282-7171.