Being between jobs is an excellent opportunity to upgrade
and tine-tune some of your skills, skills that may he necessary in your next
position. As I said, you may ant to take classes in computer technology,
business writing, or technical writing. You may want to develop your
presentation skills or learn desktop publishing or a spreadsheet program. You
may really need this time to increase your marketability and improve your
resume.
If you can afford it financially, you may want to volunteer
or serve as an intern in the type of industry or specific organization in which
you would like to work. This may be an excellent way to network and increase
your visibility in the field. It will be a good way to update your resume as
well. Many organizations would be all too happy to have workers with your
experience and skills. Keep in mind that this is part of your route to a
full-time, permanent position. Professional and charity organizations and
associations are always in need of extra public relations professionals, people
to help organize functions or run events and do fund-raising.
I know; you may think that it will never happen to you. I
have tenure. I have seniority. I am at the top. I'm well liked and respected.”
Well, CEOs are fired. Tenured college professors at a small private school who
thought that their futures were secure find themselves out looking for jobs when
their school closes its doors. The rising star who is so well connected loses
favor when a new senior management team comes in. It can happen, no matter who
you are or who you know!
We have spoken to hundreds of people who either are in
danger of losing their jobs or have already lost their jobs. Many of them were
completely blindsided by the announcement, and many are managers who didn’t see
the writing on the wall. (Sometimes you can see the signals and sometimes you
can't - or maybe you don’t want to.
In any case, the devastating reality is the same: loss of
identity and self-esteem, the sense of drifting without a rudder. Most of us
have been there, as has just about everyone we know who's over 40. Usually, once
it’s happened to you, you swear that you will never again be taken by surprise
in that way. We think that some lessons are learned best when they’re the
hardest to learn.
After you talk to as many people as we have, you start to
realize a few things. Most people do not have particularly effective networks,
for example. Many need serious work on skills development. Most share a great
sense of loss and had difficulty in motivating themselves, but the ones who were
prepared to seek training had taken the first major step. This can be a very big
risk. Another key strategy, developing a support group. can be foreign to some
people. Men, especially, tend to withdraw from the very people who can make up
an effective support network. Women are usually better at sharing their personal
side, their emotions and feelings, than are men. Sharing can be especially
critical at this time.
When you lose your job, and frequently with it your sense
of identity, it can be extraordinarily difficult to pick yourself up and start
changing your job search strategies. The best time to start, of course, is at
the first hint of a layoff. If you have a sense that layoffs are coming in your
company - if things aren’t going well financially or if there are takeover plans
- follow your intuition, it’s probably going to happen! Prepare as soon as
humanly possible for you new position. It will probably take a lot longer than
you imagine to find a new position, especially if you earn a high salary.
Keep in mind, also, that the new world of work is
characterized by less job security and the need for flexibility This may just be
your first trial run, so it will pay off to become proficient at always having
an effective strategy.
Some outplacement firms or recruitment experts may tell you
to give your resume to everyone you come in contact in with - all your
acquaintances - the bread man, the plumber and so on. While in theory this
concept may have validity, it doesn’t seem to work very well. I believe that
those who really care about you one way or another are the ones who will keep
their cars open for a position for you—not just anyone.
People have their own lives and their own problems. You
have probably found that if you sent a resume blindly to a company, 200 or 300
other people, all with basically the same background, were doing the same thing.
So getting your foot in the door is the hardest part. That’s when your contacts
come into play — your network. If you are faced with imminent job loss, start
analyzing, your situation right away!
Don’t lull yourself into a false sense of security and
think that a layoff won’t happen or that you can put it off. Most business and
management experts agree that, even though some companies are truly committed to
their employees for the most part there is not a lot of benevolence in
organizations today. The bottom line is the most important factor, even if it
means significant layoffs. An employee must increasingly be in charge of his or
her own path. Start honestly evaluating your own skills.
If you don’t have a degree, are you or will you be
prevented from getting the job you really want? To get a similar job in another
company, will you need further education or training? Do you have a degree that
won’t get you a job in today’s employment environment? (Or do you have a nearly
worthless degree, like mine in French?) A history or psychology degree may make
you a very well-rounded person. but I can almost guarantee that it won't get you
a job unless you augment your skill base.
Do you possess good computer and other technology skills?
Do you need to practice interviewing skills? Do you need help with your resume?
Do you have an effective network? It need not be as overwhelming as you may
think to really get going on developing these skills. Besides, what’s the
alternative? Isn’t it worth working hard on developing solid career management
skills?
