In today’s world, it’s extremely rare to get a job in your early 20’s and keep that job until you retire. Instead, you will likely have many jobs, some of which you will leave willingly, and others not so willingly.
Though there may be many instances when you would have changed jobs and careers, nothing compares to the stress of losing your job before you’re prepared. It’s easy to feel worried and depressed, but you can ease these feelings if you take action as soon as you’ve lost your job or have been in a layoff.
No matter what circumstances are behind the layoff, these tips will help you move forward so you can support your family and find your next job as quickly as possible.
Talk to an Attorney If You Think You Have Been Wrongly Terminated
Few ways of losing your job are worse than being terminated, especially if you feel that you have been wrongly terminated. Figuring out how you’re going to pay the bills is especially frustrating when you feel like it’s something you shouldn’t have to be worrying about at all because you should still be going to work.
If you think you have unfairly lost your job, you should talk to an attorney. Most offer free consultations where they can tell you if they think you have a case. If you do have a case and you have hired an attorney, he or she will get the money you deserve while you look for a new job, or you may get your job back, depending on the goals of your particular situation.
File for Unemployment
Whether you have been wrongly terminated or not, you should always consider filing for unemployment. You’ll likely get payments faster than waiting for a resolution to a wrongful termination case, and you may still be eligible for payments even if you aren’t wrongfully terminated.
It is important to apply carefully, which means having important information available when filling out the paperwork and applying in the state where you worked.
The exception to filing unemployment would be if you were fired for a reasonable cause. For example, you would not be able to collect unemployment if you were terminated for missing work without a viable reason, but you would be able to collect if you were let go due to unforeseen circumstances, like layoffs due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Understand Your Health Insurance Options
You have to worry about lost wages and how you’re going to pay your bills when you lose your job, but that isn’t all you have to worry about. Losing your health insurance can be scary and dangerous.
It is extremely important to understand your insurance options if you no longer have a job. In some cases, your employer may provide you with insurance for a certain period of time after you are let go, so it’s important to ask before you think about other options.
In many cases, Cobra is an option, but it is often very expensive. Instead, you may have to get your own insurance after you lose your job. You may have to consider a more affordable, less comprehensive plan, but it’s better than not having insurance at all.
Collect References From Coworkers
Hopefully, you didn’t lose your job and leave all of your supervisors and coworkers on bad terms. If you still have positive, professional connections at your previous workplace, you may want to consider asking for letters of recommendation.
It’s important to only ask people who know you and have a positive opinion of your work. Ask them as soon as you can while your working relationship is fresh in their mind. Help them out by asking them to highlight specific achievements of yours, and ask them to send the letter at their earliest convenience so you aren’t waiting weeks or months to use it in your applications for other jobs.
Create a Plan for Finding a New Job
Once you’ve done everything else on this list, it’s time to start creating a plan for finding a new job.
There are a lot of things that go into looking for a new job. They include:
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- Creating a resume
- Finding jobs to apply for
- Filling out applications
- Networking
- Following up with potential employers
It can all seem overwhelming, so it’s important to create a plan that works for you, even if it means slowing down and taking your time.
Your next job can very well be the dream job you’ve been looking for and to get there there’s plenty you can do to make sure your ducks are in a row until you come across this next opportunity. Plan, execute, persevere.