Receiving a pink slip and being shown the door is never a pleasant experience. What to do about health insurance? What about the mortgage, car payments, and college tuition for the kids? Will a new job come quickly, or will the person have to endure months of pounding the pavement and waiting for something else to come along?
In the old days, being laid off from a job implied the worker must have done something really wrong to be let go from the company. But in today’s world of technology and globalization, layoffs may be the result of a number of factors that have nothing at all to do with the employee’s performance. Here are some simple guidelines for those who have been laid off.
Job Survival Strategies: Signs of an Impending Layoff
Any worker who has endured the difficult circumstance of being laid off has recognized the signs leading up to the layoff. The most obvious sign that the company is about to announce layoffs is rampant rumors of downsizing in the midst of an economic downturn. Other signs include
- workload decreases significantly
- managers in the office less frequently
- empty cubicles not being filled
- managers leaving the company
- perks (coffee service, vending, lunches) cut back or eliminated
- vociferous, vehement denial of layoffs from upper management in conjunction with a new campaign from the CEO to bolster the ailing company
Enduring the Pink Slip
P-Day (Pink Slip Day) is in a word, somber. Typically the manager brings the worker into a private office, shuts the door, and communicates that even after all the denials, the company must lay off some workers after all. In one moment, it feels as if the rug has been pulled out from under the worker.
Suddenly detached from the company the person has worked so hard for, it’s like a relationship that has just been cut off without warning. Also cut off are the person’s salary, health benefits, retirement plan contributions, and workplace camaraderie. Indeed, being laid off is an extremely emotional experience and one that requires a deep breath, faith that things will work out in the end, and patience and determination.
Steps to Take after the Layoff
After the initial emotion of the layoff is dealt with, it’s time to take some important steps. First and foremost, the person should point his or her web browser to the U.S. Department of Labor to apply for unemployment benefits in the person’s state. Other steps to take after the layoff include
- asking for coworker’s contact information and keeping in touch to share new job opportunities and job search strategies
- determining health insurance options (COBRA or individual health insurance)
- rolling company 401K into a rollover IRA
- updating resume and cover letter
- registering with job search engines including Monster, Dice, and CareerBuilder
- networking via in-person networking groups and online via Linkedin
- formulating a household budget and reducing spending where possible
Bottom Line on Surviving a Layoff
Bottom line, being laid off is no bowl of cherries. It is at once difficult, scary, and depressing. However when a worker recognizes the signs of an impending layoff, learns how to effectively deal with receiving the layoff notice, and takes some simple post pink slip steps to help lessen the financial and emotional toll of the layoff, the person can breathe a little easier while seeking new employment.
See related articles, “Top 3 Websites for Resume Help,” “How to Apply for COBRA Health Insurance,” and “Top 6 Job Search Engines.”
 |
