First steps after a layoff

- When you've been laid off from your job, it can be incredibly overwhelming to know what to do and how to put your professional life back on track. A layoff is also known as a job loss because it's exactly that, a loss. You may have worked with the company and your coworkers for years, and yet those relationships have changed overnight and in some cases have abruptly ended. Alexander Graham Bell famously said, "When one door closes, another opens; "but we often look so long and so regretfully "upon the closed door that we do not see the one "which has opened for us." The point of this video is for us to acknowledge this layoff, this closed door, for only as long as is necessary for us to move past it so that we don't miss the doors opening up ahead of us. With that in mind, I'm going to outline some of the very first steps you should take as you prepare to recover from your layoff. Until you deal with these key issues, you can't truly begin to recover, both as a person and a professional. And what we need most after we've suffered a job loss is that feeling, that sense of recovery. So let's get started. First, talk with your family. If you're supporting a spouse or children, talk with them honestly about what's happened. Your daily routine will be changing, so talk to your kids in an age-appropriate way about needing to find a new job and what that means for your schedule and theirs. It's completely normal to feel embarrassed or ashamed after being laid off, and you might try to put on a brave face or distance yourself from your closest family and friends, but don't. They can act as a support network to keep you positive as you work to find a new job. By being open and honest upfront, you'll set yourself up for a positive job search with the support you'll need. Then cut unnecessary expenses immediately and file for unemployment. Filing for unemployment can be a lengthy process, so be sure to get started as soon as possible. You should be able to file for unemployment either online, over the phone, by mail, or by visiting your state's unemployment website. Then estimate how long your job search might take. The length of a job search varies depending on things like your industry, location, and career level. One way to determine what to expect is to ask people in your network who've recently changed jobs how long the entire process took them. This also helps open up conversations about your new status as a job seeker and puts you in their minds as someone to remember if they hear of any opening. Finally, take enough time to recuperate from the loss. Losing a job is truly a loss, so give yourself time to move through feelings like grief, frustration, disorientation, and worry. In some cases, your former employer may offer you access to counselors and coaches. Take advantage of those resources. Talking with a trained unemployment counselor can have a really positive impact on all the negative feelings you're experiencing, and they can point you to even more helpful resources. And while your instinct may be to find a new job as quickly as possible, step back to evaluate the situation. It may have a greater payoff in the long run. Could this be a time to go back to school, switch careers, or look for a more flexible work arrangement? Assessing what you really want in a new position will set you up for a much more productive job search and potentially a more rewarding future. Let's review the first steps you need to take after a layoff. First, talk with your family and close friends about what's happened and what that means for them. Then cut unnecessary expenses immediately and file for unemployment because the process takes time to get started. And finally, take time to recuperate from your loss. By following all of these steps, you can close the door on your layoff and open the first door to a new opportunity.