Learn About Yourself

Looking for a new job is the best time to reflect on what you really want to do. You have a fresh start and can do anything. But in order to know what you want to do, you need to take some time to learn about yourself. If you are like most people, you have been in the workforce working a job just to pay the bills for so long; you have forgotten what it is like to do something you really enjoy. You don’t want to take this opportunity that has been given to you and waist it by just taking another job that isn’t really a fit for you (now when push-comes-to-shove, you need to pay bills, you need a job). There are a number of tools out there to help with this. I personally don't like the formality of those tools and prefer to sit, think, and plot some things out. However you do it, it needs to be done.

Learn Your Rights / Unemployment Benefits

When you are unemployed you need to get to know your rights as an unemployed citizen. You are in a new pond now, you need to learn it.

File for unemployment benefits with your state. You can do this by going to your state's website for unemployment benefits (a Google search will pull up the site). The application process is extremely easy. We like income, so let’s get this flowing ASAP. If you have received a severance you typically can’t file for unemployment until after that time is up.

If you had insurance with your previous employer you might want to consider COBRA. It is pretty expensive though. An alternative that you might want to look at is governmental insurance (Medicaid). You have to fit into a unique demographic to qualify. Go to your states Medicaid website for more information (a Google search will pull up the site). Honestly, if you are single and healthy. You might want to consider forgoing insurance until you find employment. If you have a family, the choice can be difficult.

A number of the things that you will do when you are unemployed will be tax deductible. However, these change yearly so you need to check with the IRS website when you go to file your taxes. Mileage to and from interviews, job fairs, etc… are typically tax deductible as well as various fees and resume related expenses. The point is you need to keep all of your job search related receipts so that when you go to file your taxes you can add the appropriate ones up.

Lost Your Job? Relax!

When I lost my job, I slightly panicked, updated my resume, got online, and started applying. This is the WRONG approach. If you are doing this, please stop. Below are some tips on how to handle your first few days in your new job, finding a job. You need to develop some structure around you approach to your search. Taking the time to do this work during the early days of your job search will increase the chances of you getting the job that you want in the time you want.

Over the next few days I will be posting some tips on how to handle the early days of unemployment. The first thing you need to do is relax.

Relax

Losing your job can be traumatic. When I recently lost mine, my wife was 7 months pregnant with our second, we were a few weeks away from closing on our first home, and I was in grad school. My career counselor gave me the best advice … “Relax, take a deep breath, everything will be fine…your life is not going to stop.” She was right. Because of my stress I wasn’t thinking clearly. How can you make the right decisions if your head is foggy? And who is going to want to hire someone with a chip on their shoulder? You aren’t going to be pleasant to be around. Take a minute and enjoy your new freedom. It won’t be long and you’ll be back to the 8 to 5. And let’s be honest, the American working life ain’t that great anyway. Enjoy being away from it while you can. Take a day (or two) and just don’t do anything. You aren’t going to get a job tomorrow (or the next day). Relax.