5 Ways To Get Back On Your Feet After A Layoff

Getting laid off can be a sudden and devastating experience, leaving you feeling confused and frightened for your future. Suddenly you have to worry about supporting your family without a reliable source of income. There is no perfect way to recover from this, but here are a few tips to help you get back on your feet.

Take a Deep Breath

Being laid off is devastating, even if you know it is coming. It can be easy to second guess yourself and your abilities or to give in to panic. This is not the time to let yourself get out of control. Take a deep breath and silence the negative thoughts. Panicking and overanalyzing the situation will get you nowhere. You will find a way to support your family and you are skilled at your job. If you aren’t sure why you were laid off, talk to your former boss about why you don’t have a job. If it was something you did, this can help you figure out how to avoid this situation in the future. If it was a result of downsizing, you may be able to get a recommendation to use for future job applications.

Consider Your Options

While you may feel confused about how to move forward, this is the perfect time to evaluate your options. Are you truly doing what you love? Is there something that you are better at that you want to try? Have you been thinking about going back to school? All of these options have merit. You can take online classes while working full or part-time or you can jump feet first into a new industry. Your options are only limited by what you are willing to try.

Jump In and Go

Once you have made your decision, don’t delay. The longer you wait, the more you will second guess yourself. If you decide to get more education, start as soon as possible. Many online universities have an ongoing enrollment, allowing you to start as soon as the beginning of next month. If you decide to look for a new full-time job, start your search. In order to find a job quickly, you should treat looking for a job like it is your job. That doesn’t mean you have to spend 40 hours a week on it. It means that you need to put forth a consistent effort and always be working towards your goal.

Network

Nowadays, most jobs are found through word of mouth and personal connections. In order to make these connections, people have to know that you are looking for a job. Don’t be afraid to reach out to family and friends for networking opportunities. When the opportunity arises in social gatherings, talk about the kind of work that you like to do and ask people if they know of any opportunities. You can be bold without being annoying. You can also ask for help in creating a resume if you don’t have a good one or you can ask for a recommendation from people that you have worked with before.

Cut Back

While you are looking for work, you should try to cut back on expenses wherever you can. This doesn’t mean that you have to stop having fun and become a hermit, but you will need to make harder choices about money. Even if you are working hard at finding a new job, it may be a while before you can find one and you want to avoid spending all of your savings in this time period. Consider reducing the amount you eat out or finding less expensive family activities to enjoy. You can also reduce your utility bills by using less electricity or by regulating your thermostat.

Getting laid off can be a difficult experience, but it isn’t the end of everything. Don’t let this knock you down permanently. Get back up and start looking for something new to do. It may take a while, but an opportunity will present itself and you will be able to find a new job.