by Swarna K

Created on: August 11, 2009

During this tough time of recession and economic slow down, the direct impact is on the working class. Recession, as we all know has always been a worst time in the economy making many people job less, leading to fear of job, depression, downsizing etc. Where a person has been laid off due to recession, is the most depressing time of his/her life. At the first place he gets laid off, secondly because of the market situation he doesn't get a job anywhere. SO, how to cope with such a situation? Let's point out some of the things that can be done while you are laid off from your work.

This tough time has to be taken as a milestone in one's life and you don't have to get depressed because you have been laid off. In fact take it as a stepping stone in building your career. There are so many things that can be done while laid off:

Improve your skills: If you feel that there are many things in which you have to take training and improve your skills from the career point of view, this is the best time to do so. Go for some advanced technical training which you feel will add up to your resume and will be an added advantage in getting you job faster.

Look for some work online or a part time job: There are many jobs in the internet these days like a freelancing jobs, SO while you are at home try to get some income out of these online work and also you can work somewhere as a part timer. This will again help increase your skills and there wouldn't be any gap in your career which can create a hindrance in you getting the right job.

Go social: Apart from improving your skills, try to get social and build social contact which would help you get a job through references and apart from that building and maintaining contacts would always help you in the long run when you are in need of someone. Try to contact your old colleagues, your school mates.

Update your resume: Most important thing that has to be done while laid off is go back and update your resume, make it more attractive and add up your skills.

Refresh your mind: After the trauma of losing the job, people are likely to go into depression, so this is the time when you have to plan as to what next? This can be done only if you have peace of mind. So go out for a small vacation with family and friends and refresh your mind, come back and search afresh.

Get in touch with companies: being laid off doesn't mean that you can't contact anyone. Get in touch with your previous employers as well as the present employer and send them your resume for future references. This is the time when suddenly out of the blue everyone comes into your mind whom you never spoke with or with whom you had very good relations. So always be in touch with all your friends and colleagues. You never know, sometimes, people you think will not be helpful, comes out to be of great help to you. So frequently talk to your managers, your co workers etc.

So don't feel that if you are laid off, you have been thrown out of all the options in the world, there still are many options. Only thing is to do things in a much planned way, so the impact doesn't affect you in any way what so ever.

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