No really, I had to say that, since some people see this as an opportunity to take a vacation from working. At this point you should be well aware of the tough economic conditions surrounding this country as well as the world. So unless you are total slacker who deserved to lose their job, getting canned is business.
Most of us work "at will", which means our employers can fire us for any reason and they are not required to disclose that reason. So keep this in mind after you been let go...business is business is business. So after that little warm-up, the following are some ground rules about this article. What This Article Will Not Do:
- This article will NOT address your mental, emotional, physical, familial or financial turmoil...at least not intentionally.
- This article will NOT hold your hand and tell you everything is going to be alright.
- This article will NOT tell you how to get a job.
- This article will NOT bash your former employer.
- This article will NOT tell you how to bake a cake.
What This Article Will Do:
- This article will describe your "new" job.
- This article will provide initial, high-level actions steps after losing your job.
- This article will help you get an interview.
- This article will tell you to get off your ass.
- This article will tell you not to take a vacation.
Now that we are on the same page, let's get down to business. The worst thing you can do at this point is the following:
- Feel sorry for yourself.
- Feel sorry for yourself, then succumb to depression.
- Feel sorry for yourself, sucum to depression, sit on the couch all day in your underwear...nobody wants to see that.
- Buy something expensive because you feel you "deserve" it...guess what, you haven't.
- Party like it's 2099.
- Use your forced time off as some sort of "revenge vacation". "Revenge vacation" is when you are let go and you don't look for work to spite your previous employer. The "Vacation" part is done consciously while the "Revenge" part is usually done subconsciously.
- Anything else but looking for a new job!
The point is, you must look at this as an opportunity in your life and not as some catastrophic hurricane wiping out your very existence...which some people do. How many articles have you read lately about people going off the deep end and taking innocent people with them? Don't be remembered by a CNN Headline as a person who couldn't hack it anymore because you lost your job! Now is the time to get tough and show this economy who is boss!
You need to get you ass in gear and realize you have a new job! That new job is finding...yes you guessed it, a new job! With that in mind, the following is the list of actions after you have lost your job:
- Baseline your resume - this means updating your "general" resume to include your best accomplishments, responsibilities, education, history, etc. etc. This also means using an acceptable, proven resume template, see <Resume Page> on JobGet.Net or some other template that has proven success. This step provides you a reference for the next steps.
- Review Your Resume - review your resume for typos, incorrect, bad info...then do it again...then have someone else do it, such as spouse or friend. You will get tunnel vision and will miss something...so a fresh pair of eyes will help.
- Check the newspaper - that's right, you heard me, remember that thing you used to get at your door everyday with a bunch of words printed on it? And I'm not referring to your copy of Good Housekeeping. Yea, that's the one! Sometimes organizations will "reach back" to the newspaper if they are having a difficult time finding qualified candidates and need to expand their candidate pool. Who knows you might get lucky...it only takes one. Caveat: Skip to step 4 if your local paper is too thin.
- Get online - Look for a job in your area - Everyone posts jobs online since they reach a larger base and it's cheaper, plus they get better results. If things are light online for your area then you might have to rely on the newspaper.
- Don't Apply for that Job!- Found a job you can do or like? Great! Don't apply...go to next step.
- Re-write Resume - Again using an acceptable and proven resume template. This will be a recurring theme on JobGet.Net...tailor/re-write your resume to match the job you found in step 3. This means culling the job description and incorporate pieces of the job description into your resume. DO NOT LIE! Only include those items which pertain to your job accomplishments, history, background, education and experience. While time consuming, shouldn't be a problem since your unemployed, it is a very successful technique that is designed to give the hiring manager or recruiter the perception that you are a perfect fit for the job. Your goal is to have a new resume for EVERY job you apply for...if you don't I guarantee you poor results.
- Review Your Resume - review your resume for typos, incorrect, bad info...then do it again...then have someone else do it, such as spouse or friend.
- Submit Resume - NOW submit resume per the instructions provided in the job posting. If they say no phone calls, then don't call. If they say Word.doc then send word.doc not a .txt, .docx, etc. If they say email only then use email. If they say post using the online application, then use the online application. If they say wrap resume around rock and throw it through their window, then wrap your resume around a rock and through through their window...getting the picture? Go outside their instructions and you're resume will get tossed in the trash.
- Get Back Online - once you have submitted your first...start over and repeat steps 3-8 until interviews are obtained.
- After you have submitted about 10-20 resumes, it's time to tap your network. Contact Friends, family, colleagues, etc. Tell them you were let go in the latest round of layoffs from your company and ask if there are open positions at their place of employment. If so, get the specific job description and follow steps 3-8 above until interviewed.
- If after following the above steps for a couple of months with no to few results...I suggest you expand your geography to more fruital employment locations and consider a longer commute or serioulsy consider moving. Caveat: I say a "couple of months", but that would be my tolerance, each person needs to determine when they reach their own tolerance for no job.
The above is your new job, until you find a another job...which pays you more than nothing.
--Warning!-- Here is where I digress --Warning!--
I cannot stress enough the importance of keeping positive, optimistic and busy after you have been let go. Dwelling upon the negative side of your firing will only eat at you from the inside out, which does you no good when your family needs you to be strong. Oh yes, remember them? You think you feel bad, how about the spouse, significant other or the children? They will key off your action or inaction to the situation. They will see and be negative if you portray it as such. This brings everybody down and hinders your ability to get a new job. So stay positive, and see this as a new opportunity and not a problem...and get that job!
