3 Ways to Recover After Being Laid Off from a Job

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No one enjoys being laid off. Whether you saw it coming or were completely blindsided, it is never a pleasant experience to be forced to leave a job you enjoyed and to start over. While you are probably feeling a bummed and a bit scared about what the future has in store for you, it is important to keep your head up.

You may not see it this way now, but a lay off is a fresh beginning. This is your chance to find a new job that you truly enjoy. Take the time to reflect on what you liked and what you didn’t like about your previous job and use this to find something that makes you excited to go to work each day.

3 Steps to Take After Being Laid Off

Ready to get back to work after being laid off? Use these three tips to prepare for your next venture:

1. Update Your Resume

Not only do you need to update your resume to include your most recent job, you must also make sure it properly formatted for the Applicant Tracking System (A.T.S.). If it is not properly structured, you may inadvertently cause yourself to get screened out before your resume ever makes it onto a hiring manager’s desk.

2. Gather Reference Letters

Most employers will ask to hear from your references before extending a job offer, so get ahead of the game by gathering these in advance. Ask your previous supervisor to write you a letter of recommendation. This should not be an issue since you were laid off, not fired. It is also a good idea to contact other former managers, supervisors and anyone else you had a professional relationship with and request letters from them.

3. Conduct a Salary Analysis

If you were employed by the same company for three years or more, you should be able to get a raise at your next job. Use sites like glassdoor.com and salary.com to see what other professionals with similar occupations in your area are earning. This will assist in setting realistic expectations and could aid in any salary negotiations.

Trying to bounce back after a lay off?

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It was my distinct pleasure working for RealStreet, aka KJMK, on separate FEMA disaster recovery assignments and long-term recovery planning assignments between October 2004 and May 2006 in the aftermath of Hurricanes Ivan, Katrina, Francis and Wilma. I found working with these professionals enjoyable as well as self-fulfilling and rewarding. After a 9-year stint as Read More…

Steve Spry, CAPZO, Certified Alabama Planning and Zoning Official

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