The Sky is Falling!!

You’re getting a tad nervous.  There have been some layoffs in your company and the office gossip is that there are more to come. You have bills to pay, problems to deal with and now having to worry about the status of your employment just isn’t something you have time for.  So, what do you do?

The first thing that I would suggest is that you review your resume and update it. It may have been
awhile since you’ve had to submit one and now, almost all resumes are sent via the Internet.  Research the trends and make sure that it is formatted not only for print – you’ll need a really nice looking one to take on interviews – but also for online submission. Be prepared so that if you are laid off, you aren’t trying to do this while you are reeling from the shock.

Second, re-evaluate your professional image.  Perhaps where you’re currently employed has a relaxed, casual dress-code – or even a type of uniform.  If you aren’t prepared with the right clothing in the event that you do have to begin going on interviews, the time between your lay off and when you will look ready to go on interviews may be delayed.  So, make sure that you have at least 2 interview-worthy, sharp-looking, leaning- toward-the-conservative outfits that fit well ready at all times. Like your resume, if you are “ready to go” at any given moment, you won’t have to think about what to wear if you are coping with the shock of the loss of a job.

Third, if you aren’t already doing so, work hard and do your job (which, by the way, is the only
ethical way to work) taking nothing for granted. In today’s employment climate, now is not the time to be uncooperative or have a “that’s not my job” attitude.  Be willing to step in and help in any way if called upon to do so no matter how menial the task.  Work is work and the overall survival of a company that is retracting versus growing is dependent upon those workers who are willing to be team players and get the company off and growing once again.

Finally, it may be hard when there is doom and gloom all around you, but try your best to stay
positive.  I’ve learned in life that when you look back on your life’s experiences, you’ll often understand the reasons for things happening the way they do.  In my own life, even the most negative events had a way of working out so that something positive eventually emerged. Trust me on this.  Been there. Lived it. Survived it.  And, you can too.