How to Prepare for an Approaching Layoff and Upcoming Job Search

You've seen it on the horizon--periodic selective layoffs--cherry-picking a few people out of each department--and up to now, you've survived. But now, the signs are more ominous that a layoff may be possible. So, you are forced to face the likelihood that you will be in the next batch of layoffs. You know you have some time--you don't know how much, but you do know that you need to prepare for the likelihood that you will be out of a job before long.

Some people experience a kind of paralysis in this situation, and they are the ones who fare the worst when the inevitable happens. Those who endure and move on quickly in the job market are the ones who face up to the circumstances and begin planning early.

Here are some tips to help you in preparing for this possibility:

* Stop spending and start saving. Now is the time. Put away as much cash in savings as you can before the paycheck disappears. If your employer pays a severance package, add it to your savings, tighten your belt, and do your best to make it last until you are in the ranks of the employed again. Most people can, of course, expect to draw unemployment, which will make your savings go further.

* Look for ways to cut costs. Look at all the money that goes out of your household, whether you are an individual or are the chief supporter of a family. Everyone may need to give up some things that are not completely essential. If you present it to your housemates as a family issue, not just yours, you may be surprised at how they will get in the spirit and do their part.

* Write your resume before you actually need it. Consider hiring a professional resume writing firm to assist you. With more people in the job market vying for the same few jobs, it is more important than ever that you stand out and differentiate yourself. A professional resume writer can help make sure that your resume is as competitive as possible. The best professional resume writers are busy, so contact one and begin the process before your layoff, if possible.

* Without suggesting to anyone in the company that you are looking, set up some people who can give you good references. You might be able to talk to a jobs counselor on the quiet without raising suspicions. Don't do anything that gets you fired ahead of time, but do look after your own interests and welfare. What kinds of outplacement assistance are others getting when they are let go? It's in your interest to know exactly what is coming.

* Don't panic! Be realistic about the possibility that you will be job hunting in the near future, but don't overreact. If you have a plan, you have good reason to be optimistic about your future. Do whatever you need to do to keep your outlook positive because that's the best attitude to have when you are launching a job search. Interviewers zero in on feelings of insecurity amazingly quickly. Don't let that be the thing that keeps you from moving on successfully.

* Network. Now is the time to build a network of support and outreach. Add people to your network who might know about job openings or have relationships with people to whom they can introduce you. What about your old friends from college or high school? What about the parents of children who play on your boy's little league team? What about the other members of forums you participate in on the internet? Don't forget to use members of your church as supporters and as sources of possible jobs.

Many people look back and see a period of unemployment as a good time in their lives--an opportunity to get out of a rut and start over. Some see it as a kind of regeneration--the beginning of a new and better phase. It can be that for you if you plan and follow through.