Six Things You Can Do to Find a Job Faster After Being Laid Off

More layoffs were announced recently, making the long-term future of the U.S. economy far more uncertain. But more importantly, the immediate future of the people who lost their jobs – many of whom lived from paycheck to paycheck – is even more uncertain; and if what employment experts say is true, it will take most of them a minimum of six months to find new jobs. Dana Mattioli, in her article for The Wall Street Journal, Speeding Up the Process of Finding a New Position, offers several helpful tips to make the transition from laid off to newly hired happen a little more quickly.

1. Do a self assessment. Here Mattioli recommends asking yourself if maybe you need to be looking for a new career field instead of just a new job.
2. Have a financial plan in order. Here, Mattioli suggests getting your finances in order as much as possible and create a budget that will tide you over until you find a new job. She also recommends signing up for COBRA benefits, but those benefits come out of your pocket. I would recommend looking into applying for whatever medical assistance program your state offers, especially if you have little or no money in savings.
3. Go beyond the usual suspects. Tap into the hidden job market, Mattioli advises, by “reconnecting” with colleagues or friends, networking on sites like LinkedIn and joining professional associations.
4. Make yourself stand out. Instead of submitting a standard resume, submit one that demonstrates your ability to make a positive impact on or generate revenue for the organization where you hope to be employed.
5. Stay relevant. Whatever your industry, make sure you’re up-to-date with any changes by subscribing to industry newsletters, again, joining professional organizations, signing up for webinars or – if affordable – signing up for a class or seminar at a community college to help improve your skills.
6. Be patient. This is probably far, far easier to say than it is to do. There are so many people out of work these days and competing for the same jobs, so it’s going to take a while just to get an interview.

Following up any interviews with thank you notes expressing gratitude and an eagerness to become a part of the team and contribute to your new company’s success will also help.

Originally posted by Candice A