Fast Start Tips
Review your situation and assets. Is this a long term layoff, is your spouse employed (how secure is that job), what are your current financial obligations (get a pen & paper) and what can be cut immediately, What are the job prospects in your industry and what other job skills do you have if you need to explore job opportunities in other industries? How much reserve cash do you have on hand?
Stop normal spending habits now and be prepared to cut unnecessary expenditures. Do you need that country club membership, those high cable TV bills, your daughter's ballet lessons, etc?
File for unemployment benefits ASAP (most state UE offices are swamped and many are finding it takes as long as eight weeks to process and get your first check). Do you qualify for any other state aid such as food stamps or medical care? Review the requirements in your state. Also, check with your utility providers to see if they offer any kind of assistance, reduced charges, etc. The goal is to cut your expenses now.
If you have credit card debt, begin the process of contacting them to get your interest rate/payment cut.
Sell off un-needed assets. You may not get top dollar, but your goal is to raise ready cash now.
Register with your state job service (most offer free counseling for resume improvement and other job skills and many offer retraining programs); post your resume on job boards; begin to network with friends, relatives, neighbors, church groups, etc.
Consider temp work
When cash is tight, don't be tempted to raise money or spend via credit cards - cut 'em up!
Consider the use of barter; create your own barter network (see our site for resources) to conserve cash.
Last Resort - Bankruptcy...not as bad as it sounds in today's economic climate but everyone's situation is different and it's wise to check with an attorney first to get an accurate picture (each state has different rules when it comes to exempt property that you can keep). If you do not own much in the way of assets and ARE NOT a business, consider using a paralegal to cut the legal cost. Under Pres. Bush, the credit card companies managed to make the rules harder and more expensive to accomplish a personal bankruptcy and the costs for filing and consumer credit counseling now run about $4-500 (excludes legal or paralegal fees).
Layoffs aren’t personal, although they often feel like they are.
- Being upset with a layoff is normal, but don’t let your upset turn into obsession or depression.
- Pessimism after a layoff is a dangerous vice; avoid stinkin’ thinkin’.
- Don’t burn bridges; keep in touch with ex-coworkers you had good relationships with.
- Work it out if you need references and set them up sooner rather than putting it off.
- Focus on and plan for the career you want to have in the future, not the job you just lost.
- Don’t put off being realistic with your finances and your own personal budget.
- Explore all your options when it comes to unemployment and health insurance. Don’t dismiss any resources available to you out of pride or ignorance.
- Be prepared to be in it for the long haul during tough economic times. This is a reflection of the poor economy, not your skills or abilities.
- Stay positive as much as possible and keep an optimistic spirit. Set realistic job goals (sending out resumes, replying to classifieds, etc.), and stick to them.
Believe in yourself, because if you don’t, others will have an even more difficult time believing in you.
Making Ends Meet with Phone Sex?
According to a recent ABCNews.com report, the number of mothers who have young children and work for phone-sex companies has risen 400 percent in the past 18 months because of the dismal economy.
Most of these women sound a little embarrassed by this fact says Chris Durst, who runs a website that helps mothers find ways to earn money at home. (Chris is the co-publisher of our favorite site: RatRaceRebellion.com) They say, “I’ve tried everything (they must not be reading our Poor Man reports). This is the fastest way for me to get my family back on its feet again.”
With 29% of Americans ’under water’ in their home mortgage, it’s not a shock to me. According to a Swedish study, commuting can wreck your marriage. Long commutes lead to poor health and can put a strain on marriages; so this kind of work might be the ’cure.’
Over the past year we’ve provided dozens of ways to earn extra money or to find a job. Legitimate, work from home jobs remain the career path of choice for many, but such opportunities are littered with scams. Nonetheless, finding a good job of any sort has become a challenge in America.
Streamlining job searches online will help pinpoint opportunities which are right for you. Most job-specific sites offer email updates that will keep you abreast of industry offerings. For example, if you’re a teacher, go to Chronicle.com or Kaplan.com. If you’re interested in working for a non-profit group, try Idealist.org.
Looking for an IT job, consider Dice.com or JobPile.com. Want a writing job? Look at sites such as JournalismJobs.com or WriterFind.com
Making ends meet in this economy can be tough, especially when unexpected expenses pop up, especially from various government agencies which seem to increasing their fees to the taxpayer, usually, unannounced.
Use Social Network Sites to Land a Job
More Americans now spend more time on social network sites than they do emailing and many employers now use Twitter to look for job applicants. Try one of the new Twitter search engines to find opportunities…enter your desired job & they’ll search for you.
www.TweetMyJobs.com
www.TwitJobSearch.com
NOTE: When mailing or bringing a paper copy of your resume, add a touch color such as light red or blue. Experts say HR will linger over your resume longer!
Every week new green jobs are posted on Great Green Careers. We think there's a great green job for you – check us out!
Search for your new job by type of job, location, salary and more. Post your resume, and put yourself in front of dozens of green employers in the U.S. and Canada. Plus, check out our green career resources. Best of all – there's no charge to you!.
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Think Your Job Defines Who You Are?
It doesn’t! Pay attention to compliments. They
Will provide you with hints about the gifts you have.
Try this site for changing careers:
www.ChangingCourse.com
This site offers quizzes & articles that will help
You brainstorm new career paths.
www.MeaningfulCareers.com
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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
Unemployment Lifeline
The figures are staggering. Unemployment at 8.9 percent. Record new unemployment claims. By one measure, unemployment and underemployment at 15.6 percent.
Hardworking families are struggling to get by, and too often, they don't know where to turn for help.
That's where the Unemployment LifeLine comes in. It's a one-stop guide that links workers to the resources in their area, from unemployment offices to veterans' services to child care. It also offers the opportunity to talk to others and share support and lessons learned.
http://www.unemploymentlifeline.com/
