You were going along life`s path just fine when the pink slip fluttered down onto your desk.
What to do, sink into a funk or celebrate a new beginning?
Most likely, most of us are not delighted to join the growing jobless ranks. But chances are, you can spin your loss into a new and possibly better job if you take a focused approach, job experts say.
But first, expect some bad feelings.
Ronald Nathan, a psychologist and professor of family practice at Albany Medical College in Albany, N.Y., says shock, anger, sadness, numbness and, eventually, anxiety are all normal in job loss.
Along with anxiety can come sleepless nights, headaches, stomach troubles and depression, says Nathan, co-author of the 1985 book, ”Stress Management: A Comprehensive Guide to Wellness.”
”How one views it is really important to being able to find another job, to have the energy and wherewithal to seek another job,” Nathan says.
Heavy worriers might try setting aside 30 minutes a day for nothing but worrying. Instead of fretting throughout the day, postpone all worrying until the designated time, Nathan says. This can cut down the time people waste worrying instead of actively finding a job.
Money could be one less thing to worry about if you have built up a savings cushion. Virginia Lord, a former executive and now communications consultant to Right Associates, an international outplacement and career management firm based in Philadelphia, says it usually takes Right`s clients, most of whom are executives, managers, professionals or administrators, four to five months to find a new job.
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, director of the Center for Leadership and Career Studies at Emory University in Atlanta, says losing a job can be a time of great liberation and exhilaration.
”There are countless examples of people who have gone through a tough exit only to find it led them to discover exciting new paths,” he says.
”It`s an opportunity to do something new, and it fortifies self-confidence to realize you can experience setbacks and transcend them,”
Sonnenfeld says.
Because so many jobs are being elimininated, the stigma of losing a job has been lessened, Nathan says. So be upfront in interviews about why you lost your last job, even if it was because of performance or personality differences, Sonnenfeld says. Just try to explain why your skills were valuable, even though you were let go.
The key to getting a better job is to have a focused plan, says Lynn Schumacher, a senior consultant for Right Associates in Chicago.
Take some time, sometimes a few weeks, to assess your skills and reflect on what kind of job you want, Schumacher says.
Then, call 50 people you know, from the accountant at a competing firm to a lawyer you know at one of your target companies, and fill them in on your situation. Ask them who they know who might be able to help you gather information about their companies and industries.
Burrow into a research mode, soaking up written information on industries and specific companies.
The next step, and an important one, is networking by talking with six to eight people a week in the industries and companies, using names from the referrals and research, Schumacher says.
Ask them about industry trends, what skills are needed. Get the names of other people it might help to talk with. Mention your skills and ask where you might fit in.
In the meantime, start sending out bundles of your resume, replying to help-wanted ads, getting in touch with search firms appropriate to your industry, and contacting target companies.
Among other tips:
– If your search is frustrating, try to compensate emotionally with a hobby that allows you to master skills and see progress, Nathan says. Spend time with your family, exercise and take care of your spiritual needs.
– In addition to brushing up on job-hunting techniques using resources at the public library, have a friend videotape you in a mock interview for critique, Schumacher says.
– Work full time trying to find a new job. Forty hours a week is good; 50 to 60 is better, Schumacher says.
LIFELINES
International trade
Women in International Trade offers meetings, a monthly newsletter and information on topics ranging from international finance and treaties to freight costs. Annual dues: $65 individual; $150 corporate. 312-641-1466.
Free workshops
The Chicago Public Library, 400 S. State St., offers free workshops once a month to explain materials related to job hunting. Meetings held in library business section, fourth floor. Registration required. For details call 312-747-4447.
Career counselors
The Professional Career Counselors Network refers paid career counselors and consultants to people considering changing jobs or who have lost jobs. The referral service is free. 312-606-0096.
Bottomless Closet
Bottomless Closet provides free clothing for work and job interviews to women who receive public or private financial aid. Clients must be referred by participating organizations. 312-527-9664.
Worker`s bookshelf
”Recovery of Your Self-Esteem: A Guide for Women” by Carolynn Hillman
(Fireside, $11); ”From College to Career” by Donald Asher (Ten Speed Press, $7.95).
