Posts tagged with “JobLoss”

As this recession drags on and the months and (gulp) years go by the phrase "job loss" is becoming more of a plural reference than a one-time occurrence for many. It's getting to the point where more than a few people have had time to get laid off, spend a few months on unemployment hunting for a job, find something new and think they've survived, only to lose that new job as well and start the whole process again. And every time the cycle repeats it gets harder because of the risk that an employer might think it was you, not necessarily the economy, that was the problem.

So how to fight back?

• Provide a solid, thorough explanation. Like with many potentially damaging pieces of information on a resume being honest and clear about what happened can be your best defense. Don't let them assume the worst about you.
• Be positive, not bitter or defeatist. It's hard to lose a job, let alone two or three of them, but if you want a new employer to hire you you're going to have to get over it. They'll pick up on your negativity and hopelessness and why would they want that on their payroll?
• Consider getting a career coach who specializes in your field. They can help give you an edge to counteract your multiple-job-loss disadvantage.
• Utilize LinkedIn and Twitter. The online world is becoming a popular tool for recruiting, networking, and sharing expertise. Consider putting your LinkedIn and Twitter links below the email address on your resume (consider carefully, though, it might not be appropriate in all situations).
• Remember that all luck changes. Things will get better, perserverance is key!

So for many workers, like myself, we've never gone through a major downturn in our careers. As a result, our short-sightedness has put us in a difficult position of being strapped financially, which makes life pretty rough. How are you cutting back costs and stretching your dollar?

For us, our first stop is cutting out unnecessary expenses. Think about it, people can spend up to $60 per month on cable / satellite TV alone. Do you really NEED HBO? Or for that matter, do you really need cable TV at all? Cutting back temporarily while you're still in the midst of job searching can create a longer runway to find the right gig, rather than the necessary gig.

Along the same tip, we've started clipping coupons. Spending half the money for a full load of groceries is more than doable, though admittedly for single people, the savings don't add up as quickly as they do for larger families.

What's your dollars and cents savings? How do you lengthen the job searching runway so you end up with the right gig, rather than any gig?

In every defeat there is opportunity.

If you've recently lost your job and are thinking about freelancing or finally starting that company you've always dreamed about, why not?

There's no better time than the present.

Another really neat flash based tool for viewing the regional effects of the recession.


It's an animated time line of job growth from 2004 to the current quarter. It's pretty interesting to see where the jobs started dropping off. Not surprisingly, the areas with the bigger booms were followed by the bigger busts. The auto-industry is the exception.

I'd love to see this done using data going as far back as available. At least through the last couple of recessions. Regardless of its short time frame, this is a really effective way to digest the state of the economy.

(Hat Tip, Gavin)