Staying Productive During a Job Layoff

GOOD aDVICE!

Thanks for the comments. @Abbey you are SO right. Take advantage of the "free" time that you have now and learn a new skill or update your current skills which, in turn, will allow you to update your resume. Check out other careers and maybe you might even find a whole new career life. Volunteering @Sylvia is a great way to fill in some of your day and also could open up a new permanent position. Not to mention getting out of the house, meeting new people and making a difference.

Or go out in a blaze of bullets, literally eliminating some competition.

I'd also like to add volunteering. While it may sound cliche, it helps on several levels. Volunteering shows that you're still able, willing and motivated to work. It helps you network, and keep your skills up to date. These are all great qualities for your resume, and also provide fodder for interviews. Having stories to tell that demonstrate your approach to work-- even if the work is volunteerism-- are particularly useful. Besides, you may have fun!

Learning a new skill or two is a great way to spend your newfound free time. As mentioned in the article, many industries are changing quickly, and some of your skills may be very outdated. However, it's also great to learn new skills, perhaps in a different industry or career altogether. You never know what the future holds after a layoff, learning new skills is a great way to find a variety of prospective jobs. Take advantage of local workshops, community and online colleges, and even free online lessons. There are endless possibilities available to learn. You just have to look around and be open and receptive to the possibilities. In the process, you may even find yourself ready for a new career path.

@Jacob thanks for that comment. So very true. Instead of feeling sorry for yourself, take this time to do a real assessment of your skills and talents. Take them out for a spin. Maybe you really aren't cut out to be sitting at a desk for 8 hrs a day; maybe being in an outside sales job is more fitting for you. Maybe, now that you have been in a position for a number of years, you realize that this isn't what you want to do for the rest of your life. Take some free career assessments that you can find on the internet and see what they come out with. I know I was quite surprised at the results of a career assessment that I took! Maybe you will discover that you had hidden talents or that you desire to remake yourself or you need to go back to school. Try it - you just might be surprised.

I like the idea of being able to use time out of work to take advantage of training opportunities. It is the kind of thing that usually just never gets done when working full time (or more). Taking those opportunities really opens up new career option you hadn't even considered before.

Thanks @Lorri for your comment. Yes, job boards are really the best way to go today. The larger percentage of companies post their jobs on at least one job board. Very few companies will advertise in newspapers or other offline media to where you have to actually mail your resume and cover letter in. I always wondered what would happen if I took the time to craft my resume and cover letter and snail mailed it a company! I may have to try that sometime. Training - updating your skills set is invaluable. You aren't working anyhow so you might as well do something that will bring dividends down the road. But, don't go to school just to go. Make sure that you know the path you want to follow and go for skills that will get you there. Learning new technology and concepts certainly is a great idea at anytime. But, when you are out of work and watching your budget - career-related classes will bring the best return on your investment.

Training is the best thing that one can do after being laid off. The more that you can increase your skill-set, the more likely you are to find other employment, maybe even better employment than before. There are a lot of job posting services where you can post your resume, and it is placed on several hiring sites, which greatly increases your chances of getting noticed by recruiters. On-line job hunting is efficient, and one of your best bets for finding that new "dream job".

Thanks for the comments. Yes, volunteering and keeping busy can really help. And it could certainly open up doors for you in unexpected places. @Catherine those pretty much are the steps that we go through when laid off. It's tough for some people to get to step 5 - at least quickly. But it's true, the sooner you get to the acceptance stage, the sooner you will be able to move into a new position. The bottom line is that you need to move on as soon as you possibly can. Keep in mind your financial situation and that will let you know how long you have to get through the five stages! From personal experience, the last time I was let go, I had to go through all of the phases in about a day! Know your situation and what you can feasibly afford and then take it from there. And always remember to treat your job search as a real job or you could find yourself floundering.

Staying active after a layoff helps take the edge off and puts some emotional distance between the event and your present circumstances. No one likes being without a job, but it gives you time to master other areas of your life as you search for a new opportunity. Plus, you never know how your next job opportunity falls into your lap.

Volunteering is a great idea: it keeps you busy, introduces you to new people, gives you something to talk about on your resume and at job interviews, teaches you new things, and could even point you in the direction of a brand new career. I have a friend who was laid off from her job and almost immediately contacted about a position at the nonprofit where she'd been volunteering for the past few years.

I feel like sometimes when people are fired from their jobs, they sometimes go through the stages of grief: 1) Denial, 2) Anger, 3) Bargaining, 4) Depression and 5) Acceptance. The key to coping with being laid off is to "let it go" as you pointed out and get to the acceptance stage of the grieving process. Only in the acceptance stage will people actually be productive and be able to think clearly about their game plan for finding a new job or career path.

There are a lot of really great ideas in here. I think the biggest issue a lot of people face when laid off is the lack of structure. Volunteering or learning a new skill set can really add some structure back into a person's life, and that helps keep a person motivated and on-track. Thanks for this!

Thanks for the comments. Being laid off can be demoralizing to say the least. Utilizing some of these tips can really help you get a handle on things and get you moving towards your next great adventure. Use the downtime to redo your resume; to check out other career opportunities; to volunteer; to learn a new skill and the list goes on and on. Don't just sit and wallow. Pick yourself up and take your first step forward. It will feel so good to be doing something - to become productive.

Volunteering when unemployed is a really good idea. Not only do you get to help people in need, you also get to put your skills to use and be productive. It’s also a great way to meet new people and socialize and can provide relief from the pressures of job search. In some cases, volunteer work can even give your life a whole new purpose and shape your future career.

I love these tips: especially number one. Letting go of negative feelings can be a process, for sure — but that process is essential for both growth and general wellbeing. Tip two is also great. If you focus on the favorite parts of your previous job (or perhaps the one before that), you can build a genuinely realistic "perfect job" profile.

Using the down time to learn a new skill is wonderful advise. It not only helps strengthen your resume it helps you feel better about yourself because you are learning. One additional thing that I thought this article was going to mention is going ahead and agreeing to many different interviews (phone interviews, Skype interviews, sit-down interviews, etc) just to work out those interview jitters and get polished at quickly, competently answering odd interview questions vs drawing a blank and looking foolish.

I completely agree with every strategy here, especially keeping up with your social and professional network. During my job searches, I have spent countless hours researching companies, but the real opportunities opened up from people I knew in the industry. Your network can provide you with referrals, recommendations and job leads - a very valuable resource to tap into during the job search.

It is all way`s good to learn to stay on top of things