depression is when you lose yours. While the bottom hasn’t fallen out of the job market, unemployment is rising and layoffs are more common. In 2008, the economy shed more jobs than it gained each of the first three months of the year, reports the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
When companies are forced to cut their work force, there’s some discretion in who ends up on the chopping block. Protect yourself in several ways:
Target the money: “You want to constantly be thinking about your skill set
and how that helps earn money for your organization,” says Pamela Mitchell, founder and CEO of The Reinvention Institute, a professional coaching firm based in Miami that helps clients make career changes. “You have to have a mind-set that’s driven by adding to the bottom line.”
Stay positive: This is hardly the environment to be a sourpuss. Bosses want to be around people with a positive outlook, not complainers, says Mitchell. If you’re prone to grousing, put a lid on it.
Be proactive: Keep your eyes open for another job opportunity. You’ll be more attractive to potential employers if you have a job, says recruiter Darnell Mitchell of Mitchell & Associates in West Bloomfield, Michigan. Take former colleagues to lunch. Attend meetings of your trade association and volunteer your time. Update your resume and have it handy. And make sure you have all your contacts’ information readily accessible, not just at the office. “You never know when you’re going to be taken into an office and given a pink slip,” he adds.
Despite these efforts, you may not be able to avoid a layoff. If that happens, try to negotiate as good a severance package as possible, including any health benefits, unpaid vacation time, retirement plans, and job training programs. “It depends on the situation, but you might have more leverage than you realize,” says Nancy Collamer, a career consultant and founder of LayoffSurvivalGuide.com in Old Greenwich, Connecticut.
When Audrey Brown was laid off in 2003 after working as a national account manager to the wholesale market for Verizon in Dallas, she was able to work out an early retirement package. After 25 years, Brown was eligible for lifetime medical coverage. “I still had three kids who were on my insurance,” says Brown, a single mother whose children range in age from 18 to 27. “It would have killed me financially if I had to pay for health insurance.”
Since then, Brown has worked as a consultant for a number of agencies, even landing back at Verizon on a project basis. “I’m making about half of what I was making before I was laid off,” she says. “But I’m getting by.” She followed some tried-and- true recommendations to get back to work:
Take time off: “If you’re burnt out from your last job, you’re not in a position to look for a new job,” says Pamela Mitchell. She recommends treating yourself to a vacation of a week or two. Brown was able to take a year off to evaluate her next