Surviving Layoff - Ways to Survive a Layoff

In the fourth quarter of 2008, almost 509,000 workers were laid off from work according to the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics. If you have recently been laid off or think you may be laid off from work soon, you are in good company. The key to surviving a layoff is to take stock and develop a layoff survival strategy. These 5 tips should help you take those important first steps if you find yourself in the unhappy position of losing your job due to layoff. Excerpted from Handling a Layoff - Survival of the Fittest.

1. Notice of Layoff - If you think you are about to be laid off or downsized, don't quit and don't give your employer any reason to terminate you. You may be entitled to some benefits including unemployment or severance if you are laid off for which you might not be eligible if you quit. If you do have a little advance notice that a layoff is coming, stop using credit immediately and save, save, save! Try to put a little cash reserve aside.

2. Find Out if You Are Eligible for Severance - If you hear you might be laid off, read your employee handbook or go online and find out what your company policy is regarding severance. Follow all the steps necessary to get your severance paperwork filed in the appropriate amount of time.

3. File for Unemployment - As soon as you are laid off, register with your unemployment agency and file a claim for unemployment benefits. File for unemployment within a week of losing your job.

4. Mourn Your Job Loss - After you lose your job, give yourself a day or two to mourn the loss of your employment and to let it sink in. Do a little soul searching. Ask yourself what you can learn from your job loss. This is the time to consider a new direction if you were not happy at your old job. You might also want to consider some additional training. fter you have grieved your loss and done some soul searching for a day or two, you are ready to hit the ground running!

5. Don't Get Depressed over Losing Your Job - Don't wast time getting down on yourself for losing your job. A positive attitude will go a long ways towards helping you survive a layoff as well as finding a new job. Tell yourself being laid off is the best thing that could have happened - now you have the opportunity to learn from your previous job, to grow as a person, and to find something better suited for your talents and temperament.

To read the complete article with 14 helpful tips on surviving layloff, go to Handling a Layoff - Survival of the Fittest.

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