In February 2009, the US economy shed over 700,000 jobs. All told, over 8 Million jobs were lost during the Great Recession.
Mine was one of them. With no regard for my performance, my tenure, or my status, my company reduced its workforce by over 10% and I was let go.
Job loss, like any breakup, is tough. Psychologists rank Job Loss to be as traumatic as loss of limb, divorce, or death of a loved one. I experienced all of the emotions of loss, among them confusion (why me?), betrayal (I thought we had a good thing going), anger (this isn’t fair!), anxiety (how am I going to pay my bills?), and depression (maybe there is something wrong with me).
Perhaps you can relate. Maybe you survived the blood-letting during the worst of the Recession and events finally caught up with you. Or, maybe you found a number of positions since then but none have stuck, and you are looking again. Or, maybe you haven’t been able to find anything and you are running out of hope.
I want to encourage you: things do get better. Since February 2009, I have had three employment opportunities, all by my choice, and today I am doing exactly what I want to do with a company where I want to work.
I have been successful, because I was intentional about my job search. Here are some steps I took, which I believe can help you as well:
First, realize that your feelings are valid. You will have good days and bad. You will have triumphs and frustrations. If you need to cry, then cry. If you need to vent, then find a friend, a family member, or a tree and vent — only don’t do it online. That will come back to haunt you.
You do have to get it out of your system, though, so that you can start each day on a positive note.
Second, assess your financial reality. Where can you cut expenses? Do you have savings? Do you have another income source in the household? Can you survive a few weeks while you sort through options? Or do you have no income or savings and you need to find something like, yesterday?
You might consider a survivor job, something outside your career tract that simply helps you pay the bills. Be open, however, because one person’s survivor job is another person’s career choice, and you might find a new path you otherwise would not have considered.
Third, take care of yourself. You are not on vacation. Set your alarm, and get enough sleep. Exercise, and eat appropriately (with additional free time, you might try new recipes). You need to support your job search with a full-time effort, but give yourself permission to do something productive for yourself – hike, write poetry, paint the garage. Also, consider the many benefits of volunteer work, even (especially) while you are job searching.
Fourth, decide what you want to do. Perhaps you were doing previously exactly what you want to continue doing. Or, perhaps you have been given an opportunity to reconsider your career choices, or your career until now has not been fully defined. The point is, employers do not hire workers who do “anything,” or those who are looking for “a job.” Employers hire professionals who specialize in a role. Consider, within your current reality, in which role you specialize, and in which you will find the most satisfaction, and go for it!
Fifth, seek and accept help. Realize that the resume you made in 2008 will likely not work today. Seek advice, and not just from a well-intentioned neighbor or a family member. Visit your Workforce Connection or a Goodwill Career Center location and talk with a career advisor. Go to job fairs (LocalWork.com sponsors excellent ones) where often there will be service providers offering free advice. Depending on your situation and what you are seeking, you might consider paying for a professionally-written resume or hiring a career coach, though I would suggest checking out free options first. Just don’t do it alone. There are people who can help.
I realize that some of you have been searching hard with so far very little success. And I realize that I have been particularly fortunate to end up doing exactly what I want to do. I tried a lot of things, and had a lot of setbacks, before landing my position.
If what you have been doing hasn’t been successful, then change what you’re doing.
Success doesn’t come to you. You go get it.
For more great articles by this author, go here: http://www.localwork.com/blog/author/kdumcum