“I got fired. I’m screwed. I have nobody here to help me.”
I’ve received a message like this a few too many times. I feel terrible for everyone who has lost a job lately. I wish I could just hire everyone and give them a fulfilling job. Sadly, I can’t. I can try to help, though, when it comes to finding new work.
What should you do if you just lost your job?
I absolutely hate hearing that a good person has lost their job through no fault of their own. This world has turned upside down and job stability is out the window. Loyal employees have been let go with no notice. That job that you planned on working until you were 65 doesn’t even exist anymore. You could be let go despite doing everything right and being a dedicated employee.
I wanted to write something for everyone going through job loss. Keep on reading if you’ve recently lost your job and aren’t sure of what to do next…
Step 1: It’s okay to go through a whirlwind of emotions.
You’re going to be confused, sad, angry, frustrated, and annoyed.
It’s okay to go through this. Scratch that; you should go through this.
The news is filled with terrible updates that make it difficult to even sleep at night. You worry about the health of your family. Now you have to deal with losing your income.
Go through all of the emotions. Talk to your family and friends. Get your frustrations out. Go for a long walk. Have a long talk with a relative. Cry and shout if you have to.
Here’s a list of free and affordable Mental Health Resources & Crisis Support if you need it.
Step 2: Apply for financial assistance that you qualify for.
Do you qualify for any assistance? What aid is available for your situation?
Here are some options to consider:
- Should you apply for EI?
- Can you defer your mortgage payments?
- Can you defer any payments?
- Can you cut any expenses out to help save some money?
- Can you get a discount on anything?
You have to find out what you can do to access cash or to delay spending money. You’re going to have to cut to see what you can do to save a few bucks.
The goal is to take advantage of any financial assistance that’s available to you while you cut your expenses to the bone. This won’t be fun. Your goal will be survival for now.
Step 3: Reach out to your network.
“I’ve come to believe that connecting is one of the most important business—and life—skill sets you’ll ever learn. Why? Because, flat out, people do business with people they know and like. Careers—in every imaginable field – work the same.” — Keith Ferrazzi
It’s time to swallow your pride and reach out to your network. You never know what opportunities are available out there for someone with your skillset at this present moment.
For many of us, this will be the first time that we have to reach out for help. It’s understandable if you’re feeling nervous about this, but you really have to remember that you didn’t expect any of this to happen. Everyone will understand because these are unprecedented times that we’re living in.
How do you reach out to your network?
- Tell the truth. Let your friends know that you’re looking for work.
- See if anyone has any leads. You never know who can have a lead.
- Offer to help. Do you have anything to offer? Can you try to be helpful in any area?
Where do you reach out to your network?
- You can always start with Facebook since most of your friends are on there.
- Then I would text around to see if anyone has any leads or any ideas.
- Finally, it’s time to spruce up that LinkedIn profile. There are many resources available on best practices for LinkedIn.
This would also be the ideal time to work on that resume. You may not have worked on it in ages. Luckily, there are many free tools online that will help you out.
It’s also important that you don’t get discouraged if you don’t find any leads on the first day. You never know when something will pop up for you.
Did you know that your resume has an average of only 6 seconds to make it into the “yes” pile? Make sure it will pass the resume glace test with this free checklist!
Check out this article for even more “how-to” support: How to Get Your Resume Past the 6 Second Glance Test
Step 4: Find a way to bring in some money quickly.
As you figure out what to do next, you have to find ways to bring in money quickly to help you pay the bills and stay afloat.
What can you do here for quick money?
- Sell your stuff. Do you have items that you can put on Facebook Marketplace or Kijiji? You’d be surprised by what people are willing to buy these days.
- Look into freelance work. Can you look into piecework for now?
- Try odd jobs. Some companies are hiring seasonal staff to meet demand.
- Apply for a part-time gig. Could you work somewhere part-time just to keep your routine?
- Cut out unnecessary expenses. Are there any expenses that you can cut out for now?
The goal is to build a cash reserve to survive the lean times if you don’t find a job right away. You may find yourself working a job that you’re overqualified for or something that’s not in your field. You have to remember that this is temporary.
Step 5: Apply for jobs.
As we mentioned earlier, you should reach out to your network to see if anyone has any leads.
After you’ve reached out to everyone and tried to tap into existing options, it’s time to go looking for jobs through job boards and whatever else you’re able to think of.
This is the last step because I want you to tap into your established network first. It’s also more of a common-sense reminder that the best thing to do is to look for a new source of income.
Bonus step: Try something different.
This freedom is what you likely always wanted. Sure, it came at a cost, and you weren’t expecting to lose your job. This is a chance to take on some risks and to try something different out.
What are some ideas here?
- Work on that weird business idea. The world is a strange place, so give that crazy idea a shot.
- Go on that road trip that you’ve been putting off. Is there anything that you badly want to do now?
- Apply for that job across the country. You might need a change of scenery.
- Get in touch with family and friends. Many of us have lost touch over the years. This would be the ideal time to try to get back in contact.
Don’t be afraid to embrace the uncertainty as you slowly figure out what’s next. You may find yourself on a completely different journey, and that’s okay.
The good news is that there’s plenty of help available out there so that you don’t have to feel alone if this is your first time going through a job loss.
YOUR TURN: What advice do you have to offer someone who just lost their job?
This was a great blog post. There are so many who have lost their income in such a crucial time. I love Step 1 because it is so important to be compassionate with ourselves, even in times of hardship.