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Business > Careers Employment > How to Help Your Friends Who Experience a Job Loss (or Yourself!)
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Article rating : 0.00, 0 votes. Author : Glory Borgeson
Do you have friends or family members who have recently
experienced a job loss? Career transition can be a very
trying time. Share these tips with them to make the
experience more palatable:
Tips
If you're feeling tired, give yourself some grace
(a.k.a. cut yourself some slack) and sleep an extra
1 or 2 hours for the first week or two. The experience
of losing a job can be very draining. Get some extra
rest at the beginning to get your energy levels up.
Once you have rested for a week or two, set your alarm
on Monday through Friday for an early hour (as if you
are going to work).
Schedule exercise. Preferably, try to fit in some type
of aerobic exercise in the early morning, such as walking,
jogging, swimming, or biking. If you belong to a health
club, try to spend 30 to 45 minutes, 3 days per week,
lifting weights and using the weight machines.
Ask someone to review your resume. Do you know someone
who is a writer, such as a technical writer? Do you have
a friend who has a well-written resume? (Who wrote it for
them?) Are there resume writing services in your area?
Definitely get a good "second opinion" on your resume.
I have seen some poorly written resumes in the past few
years! Resumes should be written to show a potential
employer "what they are buying with their money" when they
hire you. What knowledge, skills, and experience are they
"buying"? Use verbs to describe what you did previously,
such as "developed", "managed", and "created". Use the verb
at the beginning of each paragraph, as well as at the
beginning of most sentences. Discuss the outcomes of your
work, such as saving time, saving money, or increasing sales.
Get into Networking:
- Call people you know (even if you are only acquainted
with them) to ask them to get together with you for coffee
or lunch. When you meet with them, rather than give them
your resume, make your contact with them somewhat informal.
Your goal is to help them become mindful of what you are
looking for and to spur their thoughts as to whom they know
who might be able to help you. (If they ask for your resume,
you can send it to them later.)
- Consider the companies you would like to work for. As
you call people and meet with them, ask if they know anyone
at those companies. If they do, get their contact's name,
address, and phone number. Send a letter to their contact
requesting an informational meeting to discuss their
company and the industry, noting that you will call them
in about a week. When you call, try to schedule the
informational meeting either over the phone or in person
(some "meet" with you right then on the phone). When talking
to them, do not ask for a job. You only want to
discuss the
company, the industry, what they do, etc. (They may ask you
what you are looking for in a position.) Your goal is for them
to become mindful of you and to possibly introduce you to
others. Ask them if they know anyone else in the company whom
you might talk to. If so, get that person's name, title,
phone number, and address; and the networking process of
informational meetings starts all over again. Eventually,
you will be introduced to someone who will conduct an interview.
That is the person to whom you send your resume. (The only
other people to whom you should send your resume are those
who request it.)
- If you are in the Chicago area, there is a great networking
group for people in career transition that meets for dinner
monthly in Northbrook. Check their website for information
at www.grayhairmanagement.com and click on "Events".
A Few More Ideas
I know several people in career transition who have business
cards to hand out at networking events. You can order free
business cards from www.vistaprint.com (you pay for shipping,
which is less than $10). At VistaPrint, you choose a design
from their free cards selection, choose where to put your
text, and they ship you the cards. Most people enter the
minimum information: name, phone number, and e-mail address.
Many people include a title or area of work (i.e. Chief
Financial Officer; Technical Project Manager; Human Resources
Executive), an address, and/or a fax number. The corporate
designs are professional, the cards are made of a normal
weight card stock, and VistaPrint puts their name on the
back of the card in small print.
Be careful about spending time with people who are negative
or who say things that cause you to worry or feel fearful
(even if they are well-intentioned). You need positive
influences at this time.
Set weekly goals for yourself to:
- Make X number of calls to set up a time to meet for coffee or lunch with friends and acquaintances.
- Meet with X number of people for coffee or lunch.
- Get X number of contacts for informational meetings.
- Send X number of letters to request informational meetings.
- Make X number of calls to follow-up the informational meeting letters, and to schedule the informational meeting.
- Exercise
- Review your resume
Some days will go by very fast. Before you know it, the
clock will tell you that it is 6 p.m. You'll wonder where
the day went. It's all part of being in career transition.
Try to put these tips into practice and watch your life change.
© 2005 Borgeson Consulting, Inc.
Glory Borgeson is a business coach and consultant, and the president of Borgeson Consulting, Inc. She specializes in working with executives in the "honeymoon phase" of a new position (typically the first two years) to coach them to success. Top athletes have a coach; why not you?
Click here for Borgeson Consulting, Inc.
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