In this article I want to explore the effects of being laid off and what you can do to counteract the negative impact it might have on both your state of mind and on your day to day living.
Being laid off due to your company’s economic difficulties can have a huge impact on you personally. Initially you will be reeling from the shock and then you will progress to worry about how you are going to cope financially, how you will find another job and what this means for your future careers plans.
First of all do try not to panic. Although this seems like a devastating blow right now, there are examples of many people who in the long-term, have turned being laid off into a very positive situation. In the first few days try to get a handle on your immediate cost-of-living and see if there are any areas which, at least in the short term, you can cut back on. This will help you feel more in control, if you know exactly how much you need to budget.
Overall the shock of the lay-off may have left you doubting yourself and perhaps losing confidence in your abilities. What is important to remember here is that the being laid-off is nothing personal. It is not about you and your skill set, but about what economic cutbacks your company needed to make. However hard it is, try to focus on what skills you have that you can bring to a new role, update your resume and start your job hunt with a positive frame of mind.
Whatever the state of the economic climate, the truth is there are jobs available and those who arm themselves with the right tools, i.e. a freshly updated resume and knowledge of the best places to look for vacancies, are already ahead of the game. Add to that a positive and confident mindset and you are already on the path to success.
