September 19, 2011
Got Fired? Here’s Advice from Someone Who Was Downsized and Thrived
3. Immediately apply for unemployment benefits.
Laid-off people — particularly those who are confident about their skills or who are trying to keep a positive attitude — sometimes opt to not seek unemployment benefits. They think: “Oh, I’ll get a job quickly. I’ll rebound and recover soon.â€
Well, here’s a quick reality check: We’ve got 14 million Americans out of work right now. Nearly half of them are chronically unemployed, meaning they’ve been without a job for six months or longer.
So while it is your hope and expectation that you will land a job quickly, there is certainly no guarantee of that. Do yourself a favor and get to the unemployment office in your state right away and file for those unemployment benefits that you’ve earned and that you legally have coming to you. Consider it as important as sending out resumes for a new job.
You often don’t even have to go to a state office anymore. You can simply apply for your benefits online. That’s what I did when I collected unemployment in the state of New Jersey.
Don’t let pride stand in the way either, nor should you think, There are so many less fortunate people than myself and maybe other people could use that money.
As an employee you’ve paid into your state’s unemployment insurance system and you’ve had taxes taken out of your paycheck for this precise scenario. So take advantage of those unemployment benefits.