How to Cope If You’ve Been Laid Off

The first time I was laid off, it was no big deal – it was a part-time job I’d taken to supplement my income so I wasn’t particularly worried.

When I was laid off from my main job, I went straight into panic mode. My entire life was crumbling down in ruins and I couldn’t see any way to stop it. It wasn’t that I loved my job, I hated it but I did like having the steady paycheck that came with it. I had lots of debt, no savings and car payments that needed to be met.

It took me a few days but I eventually got to a place where I thought that it was okay that I’d lost the job, it wasn’t good for me, I hadn’t enjoyed it and I battled to get up in time to go to it every day anyway. All things considered, I would have quit in  a heartbeat if I’d been financially able to.

I dusted off my CV and started actively looking for work. I registered with employment agencies. It didn’t take long to find that there wasn’t much call for a former bank manager. That’s when the depression started to kick in – maybe I’d been laid off because I was no good. (Now my mind knew that wasn’t true, but my heart….) I started doubting myself and became quite insecure.

Finally, my mother nagged some sense into me – she’d heard that a coffee shop was looking for a manager and suggested I phone. I didn’t want to – I found myself telling myself about why it was such a lame idea – stupid to even think that “begging” for work like that would work out. Still, eventually I had no option and phoned. Rudi asked if I could come in for an interview – he looked over my CV and we discussed it. It is a very busy coffee shop and it soon became clear that I didn’t have the skills. I could have lied but didn’t want to. Anyway, we mutually decided that I wasn’t right for the post. I could see that he really wanted to help and kicked myself for not lying on the way out. Again, my mind knew that I couldn’t have done it, but my heart wanted a job. Lesson learnt, I went home with a heavy heart. About an hour later, Rudi phoned and said that he may have a position if I was interested. It wouldn’t pay as well and would be hard work. I jumped at it. It turns out that that post led to my new career in book-keeping and that, by taking the chance I was given, I have now secured a more lucrative position. My hours are better, my working conditions are better and I actually respect my colleagues. Financially, I still have a long road to go but now, a year after being laid off, I’m in a much brighter position than I was. My advice to the recently laid off?

1.  Go ahead and panic – it’s only natural – but give yourself a time limit. Run through the worst case scenarios in your mind and then get a plan together. Believe it or no, this is not the end of the world.
2. Update your CV and get it out there. List your skills – you may be able to find a career that is totally different from the one you just left.
3. Swallow your pride – you may need to take a drop in salary or start at the bottom again but be willing to learn and try new things. Go out and ask if there are jobs available – people like to help those that want to help themselves.
4.  Deal with your self-doubt logically – You got laid off, it happens to thousands of people. It doesn’t mean you’re a bad person, lazy or even inefficient. It’s not even a reflection on you as a person/ employee, it’s a reflection on the economy. Believe it or not, not everything centres around you.
5. Be honest – tell your friends and family the truth, it hurts to be laid off, it’s embarrassing. Don’t shut them out. Also, be honest with prospective employers – there’s nothing worse than being in a job you’re overwhelmed by. You’ll fail and then feel a lot worse.
6. If you’ve come up with a plan of action, follow it through. If it doesn’t seem to be working, re-evaluate it and refine it where necessary.
7. Lastly, never give up hope, you are infinitely stronger than you realize and things will eventually work out – maybe not as you wanted them to, but they will.