Six Strategies For Dealing With Unexpected Job Termination

With over 15 million people unemployed in the USA in late 2009, many people have been faced with unexpected job termination. It is a very rare situation when it is welcome news to learn you are unemployed, but in some circumstances the situation may result in opening a new door of opportunity.

Opportunities for new careers, training, retraining, and career counseling are likely available within the resources of your state or county, local colleges or workforce centers. Sometimes we just need to be reminded to look for new options. This article provides six strategies that people can consider to help cope with unexpected job termination.

1. File and Freshen. In the face of sudden employment, of course the first step of self-preservation is to register for unemployment. However we must remember not to stop there. Instead, individuals with initiative will want to immediately begin looking for opportunities to refresh their skills, update their resume and interview skills even while beginning their job hunt.
2. Upgrade or New Direction. If you have been searching for jobs for a few weeks and are not having luck finding a new position, it may be an opportunity to consider a career upgrade or new career direction. The state or county Workforce Centers, or One Stops, as they are often called, will have career advising services which may assist in such valuable roles as career aptitude testing, and career preferences evaluations. You might also consider whether your career aspirations and goals have shifted since you were last hired. Maybe this is a chance for significant change of direction. If career change seems promising, there are many resources for retraining.
3. Outlooks on Occupations. Occupational profiles, demands and salaries are listed in an easily searchable database at Occupational Outlook Handbook (see link in resource list below). Using this online resource you can explore the occupations which have surfaced as you moved through….
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