I’m Unemployed. Now What!?

By
Heidi S. Hawkins

If you’ve ever had your employment end for any reason, I highly (and
somewhat sarcastically) recommend it as an opportunity to learn one of life’s most
important lessons on personal responsibility and building your self esteem from the ground
up.  If you're lucky, you saw the writing on the wall and had time to prepare by making
sure that you had at least six months to a year's worth of expenses covered in a savings
account.  On the other hand, it may have come out of left field leaving you deeply wishing you could find the receipt for that
ridiculously overpriced blinged out Nespresso crystal edition coffee maker you bought last month.  Either way, being
unemployed can blow as well as be a blow to the ego and leave even the most confident completely unprepared for what can
soon follow as you work to get comfortable on the proverbial roller coaster that may have more valleys than peaks.  
 
So you might be asking, "What does Heidi know about being unemployed?"  Well, I've been "let go" from more than one job. 
There was that first one where I was fired from my waitressing job in my early 20's by an older (and not very attractive) female
manager who was pining for one of the cooks who happened to have a slight crush on me.  It was sweet but I wasn't interested
and didn't make a big deal of it. Needless to say, after months of the evil eye, she made sure to find some reason to remove
the "competition" from the object of her affection's love equation.  Fast forward to my early thirties where I enjoyed the
experience of being told to sit by the phone on an appointed time to find out if I was going to be part of yet another, "it’s not
personal" mass layoff within the pharmaceutical industry.  Going through these three times over five years made me a pro at
waiting for the sky to fall.  And then there is the most recent where I was mysteriously put on a "performance improvement
plan" and subsequently let go after a meeting where I mentioned my concern about how the growing pressure on the sales
force to meet sales goals could lead to dishonest selling tactics of a medical device that clearly the company still couldn’t get to
work.  Did I mention that one of the presidents of the company happened to be in the back of the room?  (Insert foot in mouth
here.)  No matter the case, I've definitely been guilty of responding to these scenarios in ways that didn't work.  One of which
was freaking out and ultimately pushing friends and family away by complaining about how much I didn't deserve it and how
doomed I was.  
 
This isn't to say that any good tragedy doesn't deserve its due time of healing but, let's admit it, whether the end of a job or a
relationship, it can be hard being on the receiving end of someone who just can't get over it.  Choosing to use your new
situation as an opportunity to learn about how to be better prepared in the future and to find your silver lining will both be
important first steps in moving on to your bigger, better, badder self.   Ten suggestions follow to help you lessen the blow:
 
1.   Take Care of Yourself - Admit it!  Being laid off doesn't feel good and most likely, if you saw it coming, you are feeling
overworked and depleted as you scrambled in regards to your next move.  Tune in to your physical, emotional, mental, and
spiritual needs in order to find the support you need to take care of yourself. 
 Set a physical goal in order to feel accomplished.  I set a goal for myself to gain back the six pounds of lean muscle
mass that I slowly lost over the previous year and a half due to stress, lack of sleep, and not eating right. 
 Practice compassion for yourself and for what you just experienced.  Do this alone by journaling or with others by
finding a great therapist or support group.  Recognize you are not alone and that there is something to learn to support
you in a better life moving forward. 
 Deepen your friendships that you may have been neglecting and use the extra time you have to make new ones. Who
knows?  Maybe your new friend knows of a position you would be perfect for. 
 Make sure to get out and socialize even if it means bringing your laptop to a coffee shop so that you are around
people. 

2.   Create a Sense of Accomplishment -   If your ego has taken a blow and you think you could benefit from creating little
"wins" for yourself...
 Write down each day at least one thing you've accomplished. 
 Create well needed structure by setting an "appointment" with yourself to go to the gym or meet up with a friend in the
early morning. 
 Depending on where you are at emotionally, sometimes even just getting out of the house for a walk is the
perfect place to start. 
3.  De-clutter - Out with the old and in with the new!  During times where we do not feel we have a sense of control over our
circumstance, it can help to create physical and emotional clarity so that we may find our way and create a new space for
whatever is supposed to come into our lives. 
 Get rid of anything that reminds you of your old job either by throwing it away if appropriate or putting in storage. 
 Drawers, Closets, Garage:  Throw out or donate the junk that you never use.  

4.   Contact Alumni Services - You’d be surprised how the same tools you needed in getting your first job out of college are
still available to you as a seasoned professional.  I reached out to the college I graduated from and was surprised to discover
that they welcomed assisting me in my job search by setting up an appointment with a career counselor.
 
5.  Take A Class or Learn a New Hobby - While unemployed, it can be easy to deprive yourself of having fun especially if in
panic mode about having to get a new job right away.   Give yourself a break from your job search and find ways to
intentionally laugh at the insanity of the situation or how relieved you are to finally be away from that miserable manager.  
 I took that discounted Groupon "Sailing 101" class as well as signed up for a writing workshop to develop my love of
writing.
 Oh, and I've been meaning to try that trendy stripper pole workout" class to find my inner diva.  What's your interest?

6.  Informational Interviews- I recalled doing this when I graduated from college and was looking to get into the field of
study I was majoring in.  I have found the people I have sought out to be amazingly helpful and felt honored to be chosen.  So,
whether you are exploring a new career or new company, don't be shy, ask for an informational interview.
 Find 10 people that are doing jobs that they love and you want to learn more about. 
 Always foot the bill for lunch, appetizers, or happy hour since this is only fair in exchange for their time.
 Honor their time by making sure they know you will only be taking x amount of time (ie. 1 hr/)
 Come prepared with questions.  You can find examples of these types of questions by doing a web search on
"informational interviews" or through a great book I'm reading called "Zen And the Art of Making a Living."

7.   Career Counseling - This might be a good time to entertain moving into a different industry or role better suited with the
skills you want to develop. 
 Look up "career counseling" or ask around to see if anyone knows where to turn since this is a common challenge
most people struggle with at one point or another in their life.  In Seattle there is a non-profit called “Centerpoint”
which I have found incredibly practical in regards to being in a conversation around defining where I am at and what
my next steps will be.
 Hire a "Life Coach" who focuses on careers.   And because you are most likely on a budget, find various schools in the
area that may have students in training as a Life Coach. Ask if they would be interested in working with you during
their practicum. 

8.   Internship - This isn't just for those cocky college students!  Use your time to work for a new company in this capacity or
volunteer to work with a small business owner who might not be able to afford hiring someone.  This also looks great on your
resume because it shows initiative vs. just a massive gap in employment.  Follow the same rules as you might have in college. 
Remember that the best part is this can be created on your terms.  It does not have to look like 9-5. 
 Also, consider a temp agency which allows you to get a foot in the door without the commitment. 

9.   Unemployment Services - Take advantage of this if you are eligible for unemployment.
 Many workshops to choose from ranging from Interviewing 101 to Advanced Resume Writing.

10.   Network!  Network!  Network!  - Finally, let me stress the importance of networking and to remind you that no man is
an island.  Many of the examples above involve getting out and connecting with either yourself or with others.  The value of
forming and maintaining a strong circle of contacts will serve you well for years to come and can make a world of difference in a
competitive job market where knowing the right person at the right time may be exactly what you need to compete and land
that next job.   Find local personal and professional networking groups (tons seem to exist for women.) 
 www.LinkedIn.com, www.meetup.com, www.biznik.com, www.facebook.com 

So remember, that in a time of many uncertainties, you are anything but alone and that finding a great fit is a process that
takes place for all of us over a lifetime.  Know that despite your situation that you ALWAYS are in control of your own reaction. 
This time, maybe more than any other, will require the same from all of us.  Take it from a self proclaimed "adversity ninja"
expert...adaptability, resilience, personal responsibility, and choosing to have a winning attitude about the adversity you
experience will serve you in many areas of your life and maybe even inspire someone else who may have temporarily lost their
way in remembering how powerful they truly are in the face of their own internal and external obstacles.