Survival Tips After a Job Loss

The first thing to do after you've been laid off or fired is to leave the office with your dignity in tact. There is no point in burning bridges. So don't destroy property or call names. After you've told your spouse or significant other there are several things you can do to soften the blow.

Next, apply for unemployment. It takes some time to decide if you qualify so the sooner you can put in your application the better off you will be. Make sure you follow your states requirements for looking for work and calling in your information. It helps to bring your separation papers with you and a voided check if you want your unemployment checks automatically deposited.

Then, call your Human Resource contact and see how long the benefits you have are going to last. In our case we were paid up on health insurance until the end of the month. Since we have medications that we take every day, I called to get an appointment with our physician before our insurance ran out. We explained the situation and our doctor wrote out 90 days of prescriptions and provided us with some samples.

Make sure you have sent in all the claims for your Flexible Spending plans as well. That money really helps when find yourself suddenly without a job.

Fourth, update your resume and start hitting employment advertisements hard. Use websites like www.monster.com to help. Also this is a great time to start networking. It really stinks telling people that you have lost your job but if you don't let them know then they won't know you are looking for a new job. Make looking for a job, a full time job. You were accustomed to working 40 hours or so right? So look for a job 40 hours a week. Carry your resume everywhere. You never know when you are going to hear of an opening.

Fifth, cut all unnecessary spending. Now is not the time to bury your head in the sand and go into denial. Cut everything you can.

Lastly, depending on what other income you have, you may qualify for assistance. Look in the phone book under Social Services for information. Some types of assistance include: Energy assistance, food stamps, WIC, TANF, food banks, etc. Don't be afraid to ask or be ashamed to accept help. This is what these programs are in place for. For help, when unexpected things happen.