Laid Off - What next?

[Shanan]

Was let go from oil & gas company. My 7 year anniversary with them would have been next month. I am vested in 401K so I will just roll that over. Went thru budget rather quickly last night. I went searching through house for coins & loose dollars (coins rolled & have $161.00) to deposit in checking account. This morning I cancelled our dream trip Thanksgiving & week after 2016. Cancelled Disney Vacation Account and requested money back. Got clothes that I had bought for tax free weekend & tags still on together & found receipts (will take back to store on Monday) Planning on going to workforce commission to be help for resume. Plan to sign up for unemployment tomorrow online. No sleep last night. Been crying all & on since yesterday afternoon. Been praying
I am just overwhelmed & know that I am missing other important information and steps I need to do. I am a middle aged woman and have never been without a job since I started babysitting as a teen Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated Thank you

 

[DVCcurious]

When we get frustrated with our kids' development (daughter throws tantrums at 5, son isn't fully potty trained at 3.5) we always say "he/she won't be throwing tantrums/pooping in a diaper on her/his wedding night" to make us feel better.

You won't be unemployed for the rest of your life. That may help you put this whole thing into perspective. Eventually you will find something else, you just have to go through whatever process is necessary to get there.

I was once fired for "performance" even though it was a total snow job. I worked at an accounting firm and we had a client who was terrible: they couldn't do basic accounting so the audit took a full year when our firm told them it would take a month. They complained about the cost of our audit. Anyway, 4 people were on the audit team. Three of them quit within 4 months of this job starting and I stayed around and was fired after a year because I was blamed for the audit taking so long.

I felt terrible, I knew it was a farce, I thought my reputation was being compromised, etc. But I decided I wouldn't let it hurt me and I worked towards finding another job.

My father, who is the hardest working and best respected person you'll ever meet, got laid off when he was about 60 years old. He just tried his best to find something else and eventually he did.

My father in law got fired from a job when he was about 53 years old. He got pissed at life, became a recluse and a mean old man. He never even tried to work again (my mother in law had to go back to work while my father in law stayed with the kids, my wife was only 10 at that time). He was so mad at how unfair life was he just literally shut down. He was a very angry person right up until he had 3 months to live from colon cancer and his attitude totally changed and he became nice and friendly. It's a shame he spent 20 years of his life as an angry, bitter person just because he got fired from a job.

My point is this: people get laid off/fired all the time. Good, hard working, honest people are let go. What you decide to do now that you are in that position is up to you. You can become angry like my father in law, or you can be like me and my father and try your best to find something else and keep your chin up. What happened to you doesn't define you as a person. It's not your fault.


As for career advice my #1 piece of advice is to practice interviewing. Get dressed up and have a friend/significant other interview you. Dress in your suit, sit in a room and have them "call you into the office" (the kitchen table) and have them interview you. You need practice. You have to have very good answers to common interview questions. You have to be polished so these answers come out confidently and smoothly. And do it with a friendly smile. Practice, practice, and practice some more. You need to be able to recite your answers in your sleep.

Tell me about yourself? - give a 60-90 second overview of your schooling and career work highlighting your best achievements.

What are your strengths? - 3 things that make you stand out with a story to demonstrate your ability.

Tell me about a time you (worked on a team project, had to deal with an ethical issue, etc) - be ready for common "story" questions and have good answers

What are your weaknesses? - have one weakness you had in the past and how you've worked to overcome/correct it

 

[Rantybaby]

Was let go from oil & gas company. My 7 year anniversary with them would have been next month. I am vested in 401K so I will just roll that over. Went thru budget rather quickly last night. I went searching through house for coins & loose dollars (coins rolled & have $161.00) to deposit in checking account. This morning I cancelled our dream trip Thanksgiving & week after 2016. Cancelled Disney Vacation Account and requested money back. Got clothes that I had bought for tax free weekend & tags still on together & found receipts (will take back to store on Monday) Planning on going to workforce commission to be help for resume. Plan to sign up for unemployment tomorrow online. No sleep last night. Been crying all & on since yesterday afternoon. Been praying
I am just overwhelmed & know that I am missing other important information and steps I need to do. I am a middle aged woman and have never been without a job since I started babysitting as a teen Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated Thank you

I'm sorry to hear of your situation. Do you have children &/or a spouse? I'll wait to hear from you before I say more.

 

[Shanan]

Just DH & I, no kids. Normal bills - mortgage payment, utilities, 1 credit card etc. We do have emergency fund account - thanks to advice from the budget board. Not as large as we need but pleased to have one.

I have been known to say 'I choose to be happy' so this advice was great for my emotions

My point is this: people get laid off/fired all the time. Good, hard working, honest people are let go. What you decide to do now that you are in that position is up to you. You can become angry like my father in law, or you can be like me and my father and try your best to find something else and keep your chin up. What happened to you doesn't define you as a person. It's not your fault.

 

[Narnia_girl]

I'm really sorry you find yourself in this situation. Seems like you've made a great start on adjusting.

 

[lvillotta1]

I resigned from my nursing job 2yrs ago after being there for 19 years. I took that summer off and really thought long and hard what I should do. I have my resume professionaly done and the lady that did that was amazing. I have used Career Link for all my jobs. Good luck.

 

[manning]

Pay cash
Cancel cable if you have it
Eat cheaply. You'd be surprised how healthy peanut butter is. When I say cheap I mean hamburger instead of steak
Get down to one car
Buy at Goodwill and Salvation Army when you can. We have a friend who wore a Goodwill dress at her daughter's wedding. Believe it or not paid $5.00 for it and it looked like a $100.00 dress.

Start cooking from scratch. You'll be surprised how much you'll save. Make up is huge. Make a cake from scratch and you will save a bundle. Also you won't consume all that sodium. IE that store bought salad dressing may have 300mg sodium. Home made single digit sodium. Same with sauces.

Convenience equals cost.

Coupons, coupons coupons.

Shop at Aldi or trader's Joe. What a lot don't know that a vast majority of their name brand foods are the same as the name brand one don't be surprised that their baked beans could be Bush Bean., that's a fact. Also Aldi knows how to keep cost down. There's a reason there goods are in boxes they are shipped in. There are three or four employees in a store who do everything. Wonder how they can check you out so fast. Look at a name brand item and you will find one bar code. Aldi's has at least four. Little things like this keeps cost down.

 

[Rantybaby]

Just DH & I, no kids.

I asked this question because it is easier without children. I'm 51, NEVER been married & Never had children. I was fired the 1st time @ 30 years old. After an earthquake in CA in 1994. I was TICKED OFF, but it was a blessing from God. That company was stressing me out. Received my severance & UIB. Went back to school received my AA. I stayed busy:some volunteer work, church ministry and I even traveled. I was unemployed by my standards for 10 years. Meaning I had 2 or 3 PART TIME/ LONG TERM TEMP jobs with NO benefits. But I kept a roof over my head, clothes on my back and food on the table. I SURVIVED!!

I found a job with Verizon @ 40 with FULL BENEFITS!! I was there for 6 years until laid off in 2010. Took my severance & UIB but moved to TX to be closer to family. IT AIN'T GONNA BE EASY! But you will be OK.

BTW that company from 1994, went out of business in '97!

 

[Rantybaby]

Also see what public aid you may qualify for. It is not a Hand Out but a HELPING HAND! Blessings to you.

 

[BOST99]

I'm sorry, I've been in your shoes several times. I prefer working for pre-IPO/tech start-up companies which almost always always tend to be acquired by companies that already have someone doing my job. The advice you have been given and the steps you have taken are right on track.

The labor market where I am is very active right now and seems to be in other major cities. Try indeed.com for job searching. It searches all of the other listings on major job boards and you can set up an email alert to get jobs sent to you. Glassdoor is also a good tool to review companies before going on interviews.

Staffing/Placement agencies can be a good resource to get you in the door to interview at companies. This could be good practice especially since a good agency will require to meet you first to assess your skills and overall presentation before sending you out for interviews. They can be a good resource and do get people jobs however if you are not familiar with working with an agency, I would only caution that with some agencies, your recruiter is a sales person and only makes commission when they have placed a candidate. If you remember they work for the hiring company and not you it will be fine. Otherwise it can be frustrating since they can go days/weeks without communicating.

Best of luck!

 

[a742246]

Here is a good job search web site. www.indeed.com. I wish you the best of luck!

 

[gatormom2tots]

Aww man.....I can relate. My husband did contract work with a firm and 2 months after our 4th child was born we found out they were not renewing his contract. He earned 6 figures and it was a devastating blow. We did NOT have emergency fund set up like we should have- we "lived for the moment" and kids wanted for nothing (including multiple disney trips!). Thankfully I have a good job, though I was not being paid full salary due to maternity leave. That took another 6 months to even out.

It was a HARD 6 months. Our marriage struggled, things were very tense around the house, and it was just a very stressful time. Biggest fear was losing the house.

But looking back, it was the BEST thing that ever happened. Whipped our butts into shape. Husband started his own firm (and took a part-time job delivering pizzas), we now have nearly 15K in our emergency fund, no credit card debt (thank god!), and we were able to refinance our house. It took this to do financially what we already knew we should have been doing. Our next trip is being paid fully in cash and we stash away money every week.

Hang in there, sounds like you are moving forward by action and not so much by reaction. People have offered great suggestions. It was humbling (my attorney husband delivering pizzas!) but what a lesson to be learned!

 

[crisi]

Oil and gas is one of those industries that's cyclical. If you live in an oil and gas town, almost everyone you interview with will understand that there is no shame in getting laid off during a down cycle. The other thing to keep in mind is that being cyclical, that industry will pick back up in some time, and you could find yourself in the same job - so burn no bridges. Stay in contact with anyone still there and let them know you'd like to come back when business picks back up.

Network. Linked in profile, facebook, go for coffee with friends (they'll usually buy). Be open to all sorts of opportunities that sound interesting to you - contracting jobs, temp jobs. My brother in law held it together teaching kids to drive.

 

[alohamom]

Disney will always be there and you never know what could happen in a year. You should be so proud of yourself for having the emergency fund and doing what you have done so far. I think so many people tie their self worth to their jobs and it can be hard if that gets shaken. You are obviously a great planner and can think clearly in an emergency situation - those two qualities alone are things many employers need and value. I am sure when the dust settles you will have no problem finding a great job and this will be just a blip on your life's radar-hang in there kiddo! Wishing you tons of pixie dust ...

 

[amyy]

We are in a similar position as my husband lost his job last fall when the company he worked for closed. We probably took at 60% cut in our total income. He is now going back to school and essentially has no plans to work for another 2 years. Gatormom2tots is right. It is HARD, stressful and our marriage has struggled. Even though we are still in the middle of it, I can now say it all has been for the best. I don't think anyone could have helped me see that last October, November, December, January etc. I had a really rough year at my job so that didn't help. Somehow I paid off my credit card debit which probably would have lingered forever.

I wasn't in your shoes as I still had a job. The "step I missed" for the first 1-5 months was that everything would be ok. It really wasn't the end of the world as it seemed. Easy to say that now.

*I took anxiety pills for a short time (yep)
*Of course you will use this time to look for a job, but do something for yourself. Maybe walk everyday, read, catch up with friends you haven't seen.
*saved $70 on cable but cutting back
*sold our timeshare (that hurt!!)
*I like your idea of going to the workforce commission
*stopped garbage pickup at $5.00 a week (yep, $20 a month makes a difference)
*cut around $200 off our grocery budget (yep, and some months more)
*became creative with leftovers but still working on cutting back on the amount of food we waste
*ate out 1x a month (maybe jut pizza and not a meal with appetizers and dessert)
*gathered change like you did
*gathered candles, lotion, books I hadn't read etc (I like candle, lotions etc and instead of going to the store I just went to my little stockpile)
*started using the library, sound so silly and I read this all the time but it really saved me a lot of money (books, magazines, movies)
*garage sale (shocked at what we made, stuff I would have normally donated)
*entered every penny I spent in a budgeting app
*switched my credit card to a zero % interest one
*I put only $5.00 a week in our Disney Vacation Account and eventually increased it to $10 a week. LOL It was still something and it made me happy.
*coupons, sales etc

*I just stopped buying. People had babies etc and I didn't get them a gift. I feel terrible but hopefully they understand. I didn't buy any clothes, no Christmas wreath, etc. Actually I didn't even put up a Christmas tree because I knew that would mean buying lights or something. I did put up my Disney table top tree and my snowman collection. Now that my credit card debit is paid off I am spending if I need clothes etc. We even have a vacation planned

Take care.lots of pixie dust sent your way

 

[crisi]

Oh, this is going to be really hard, but look at this as an opportunity. Enjoy your time off. You are supposed to treat looking for a job like a job, but allow yourself to do some laid off self indulgence. That might be taking better care of yourself, getting in exercise you've never been able to fit in (you can go from couch to 5k in eight weeks of being laid off in half an hour a day). It might mean binge watching all of the West Wing or chewing your way through the mystery section of the public library. It might mean you take up baking bread or finally get around to crocheting an entire throw rather than just the partial scarves you have always done. Make time to see friends. You've been given the gift of time and that's a precious gift.

Also, use this opportunity to think about what you want to do. For some people this becomes what they needed to make a career change into something they love. To simplify their lives so they can teach yoga instead of working in an office. Or to get certified in Project Management so they can make more money doing something they've been sort of doing for years.

 

[bearzabout]

We discovered the wonders of estate sales and get great bargains on consumables for the home. Check out Estatesales.net in your area and look for sales where they are selling everything in the home. We get great deals on canning supplies, cleaning supplies, gardening supplies, office supplies, etc.

Also try to use some of this time to help others. See if you can help out neighbors or the elderly in your area. it may help you feel appreciated and may end up having a big impact on someone's life.

Look for budget travel options. We travel off season, drive instead of fly and stay at timeshares using resortcerts certificates costing about $250/week from Skyauction. Also look into free or cheap festivals in your area.

Pick up a new hobby like gardening or canning. I'm about to can 10 lbs of dilly beans and later this week will pick 7 quarts of red raspberries for making jam. I just love the saying "I eat local because I CAN!".

 

[Pumbaa_]

First breathe! It is scary. In this day and age, almost everyone will face this in their lifetime. I went through this 15 years ago. Best thing that ever happened to me in the long run

You have been given a gift, the gift of time. It doesn't seem it now because it is new and scary

Be realistic. At my company, from posting to hire/start date is about 3. Months. So realize it is going to take time to land your next employer

Knowing that, network. Tell everyone you know you are looking. I got my job after layout from a friend mentioning my skillset to a vendor who then shared with another company. You never know

Get your resume together. Spend time every day looking at new postings and apply. You NEED a computer to apply for jobs. It is a must have.

Get a hobby or volunteer. This is a stressful time. It is ok to have fun during it. I called it my sabbatical

I was fortunate, I gad a 6 month severance w benefits plus collected unemployment. It was awesome actually

I won't lie. It was scary and the first time I was ever not employed. At the end of , I landed a good job and 2 years later got a call from a recruiter at a company that did not ofer me a job then. But the hiring manager kept my resume and 2 years later went to work at my current employer.

Hang in there, it will get better! Just remember this is not your fault, it just happens. We're you offered any outplacement counseling services? Take it! They are awesome!!!

 

[Shanan]

Thank you for all the suggestions. will definitely follow advice to think before I jump/decide on a new job. I have the problem of jumping in and doing something Now!

 

[GaryDis]

A small point that bites too many people: Unemployment benefits are taxable, but many states won't withhold taxes unless you tell them to. So take a look at your tax situation, and if necessary, make sure they withhold taxes.