11. how to deal with it

How to Deal With IT

Job Loss, Unemployment, Seeking Work in a Bad

Economy

We have all had times when everything seems to fall apart. We put our thinking caps on, and start pondering what went wrong and what caused the problem to begin with. It’s hard. It drains every ounce of energy out of our body, and we lie there frustrated, depressed, trying to find a way out while looking at the past.

Layoffs or being unemployed are one of those times in life when everything you have worked so hard for seems to slide away. Financially, physically and mentally, layoffs/unemployment can be quite stressful. But letting the past shape the present really isn’t the solution either. Let’s take a

look at five simple ways we can make the most out of it and move on.

1. Keep Your Eyes On The

PresentIt’s done! Once a layoff or termination has been confirmed and your job is taken there is not much you can do. The company you have worked for – whether for months or years – is nothing but a past. A past that is hard to forget, but definitely a past that will hinder your progress and create problems in the present if you don’t let it go.

Not to say that you won’t feel any pinch both financially or mentally. It’s natural to worry; to wonder about finances, but thinking about it each and every day won’t solve the problem either. It’s time to realize that the job you had lies in the past and it’s time to embrace the present and shape the future.

2. Don’t Dwell On Opportunities That Are No Longer There

How many of you dreamed of doing something else than what you were doing at the job you got laid off from? Although your childhood dream of becoming a scientist or a movie actor may not come true, there are other opportunities that most of us fail to realize. While holding a job we are so worried about losing the financial stability or the perks of the job, that we never venture out and seek other possibilities.

Whether or not you had some good opportunities at the job you got laid off from is out of question. The job is gone and so are the job opportunities. They were opportunities that are now lost.Do not ponder and stress over those opportunities. They are gone. Instead look for new possibilities. It’s time to fulfill your dreams of owning your own business; that opportunity that you have been seeking for years outside those cubicles. It’s time to set the rules for a different game.

3. Forget The Numbers, It Doesn’t Do Any Good We are fighting against a bad economy and the job market is in dire need of support. News is constantly thrown upon us that gives us a peek into everything that is bad and nothing that is good. Job layoff numbers are one of those things. When you hear hundreds and thousands of people being laid off each week it’s hard to stop thinking about a problem that you are sharing with millions of others. But remember sometimes numbers are best ignored. Forget the layoff numbers, what matters at this point is you and nothing else.

Yes, there is a constant struggle to bring the economy back to life. Yes, there is a struggle to restore the job market. But forget the numbers for once ,and focus on yourself. Although the media sensationalizes the lack of jobs, there are plenty for deserving people like you. Stop thinking about the numbers and what is not out there. If there weren’t any jobs all the career sites would be dead by now. Stop looking at the number of jobs that have been lost and start looking at the numbers that are available. There isn’t much difference. The fact that we tend to pay more attention to negativity is what hurts the most.

4. Get Back To The Basics, Socialize

Networking is the holy grail when it comes to visibility. Whether you are seeking an online job as a freelancer, getting out into the real world as an entrepreneur, or simply looking for another job to pay the bills, networking pays. Get yourself out there. Interact, mingle and share your expertise.

Show others your capabilities and socialize with like minded people. It is more likely you will be recommended by someone for a job that you are capable of doing. Online or offline, participate in communities. Communities can give you a huge boost in terms of visibility. If you want to broaden your opportunities it’s a must to be seen, to be heard. Get back to the basics and

follow the rule that everyone touts – network, network, network.

5. Look At The Brighter Side Of Things

This is one of those things that falls under “easy to say, hard to apply” category. Although staying positive after a layoff could be challenging, it is one of those things that will help you stay focused. Take control of your thoughts and actions, and stay positive. If you truly want to stay positive after a layoff here is a quick tip : read the above four tips

If you have been laid off recently, know for a fact that there is something better out there. It’s just a matter of putting the past behind and utilizing the present for a better future. There are plenty of opportunities ready for you to take on.

Job Search and Stress: How to Deal With It

Job search is a job in itself. We are sure you have heard the statement many times but it’s a fact and it needs to be brought up often. Job search can take quite a bit of time and the added stress when you are unemployed is even greater. If you are looking for a job while you are employed, you at least have means to pay the bills, put a roof over your head and food on the table. However, if you are unemployed the stress is ten times greater if not more. As with anything else, while searching for job make sure you keep stress under control. Stress is natural but learning to control that stress so it doesn’t lead to catastrophe is the key to landing a job sooner.

Lay Out a Plan

Plan out your job searching tasks and make them for a certain time of the day. This will keep you focused on the task at hand and keep you from getting stressed out with all the work. Create a routine for yourself and stick to it. Pick a time of the day that works for each task. For example, use the mornings to look through the classifieds or online jobs. Do this for about an hour or so and take a break. Then use the afternoons for meetings/interviews.

The point is to set aside a certain amount of time for each task and create a routine. Make adjustments to your personal life, relaxing, and family time. Pick what best suits you and write it down. Actually write a plan out. Delegating tasks into chunks will relieve a lot of the stress of trying to keep up with your job searching tasks. With a plan in place you will be more focused and you’ll know what to expect.

Avoid Perfection

There is a lot of pressure to make your resume and presence perfect when searching for a job. While you want to make yourself and your skills look good, trying to constantly attain perfection is only going to stress you out. Fine tune your resume and put in only what you need for that particular job. Then leave it at that. It doesn’t have to be perfect, it just has to be good. If you are constantly revising and trying to make it better then not only are you going to stress yourself out, it’s going to delay other tasks you could be doing.

Also, no one is perfect. You’re going to mess up sometimes. The best thing

to do is to move on. Learn from your mistakes and keep going. Focusing on your mistakes is only going to make things worse and stress you out.

Find Your Personal Cheerleaders

Your close friends and family can be your personal cheerleader while searching for a job. They can also be a downer and cause stress as well. Pick out the people that are supportive and use them to help you deal with the stress of job searching. A good cheerleader is someone that is willing to listen and give sound advice. Support from others is one of the best ways to relieve stress from job searching. A lot of times all they have to do is listen. Just getting some things off your chest will help reduce stress.

There are also job search support groups that may be a good idea to look into. These groups can supply endless ideas and possibly even job opportunities. A lot are also run by career professionals that may be able to help as well by providing valuable information. Being in a support group, with others in your position, can be beneficial simply from having other people in the same position as you. Find people and areas that help support you and your work that is job searching. Having a team of personal cheerleaders will greatly reduce your stress.