Lost Your Job? Now What?

By Rob McGovern, CEO of Jobfox

The scene: your office cubicle, a typical Monday morning. For some reason, when you arrive at work, you can no longer log on to your e-mail. You notice a "see me" note from the boss. And there's a memo announcing an all-hands meeting in the main conference room.

Career setbacks are a part of life in today's work world, especially in a weak economy with unemployment at a 22-year high. Here is my Five-Step Plan to Surviving a Layoff:

Step 1: Slow the cash burn. Pairing back your expenses will reduce stress and give you more time to focus on landing a new job.

Step 2: Address the big benefits. In most cases, terminated workers are entitled to continue their medical benefits at their own costs. Also, make plans to rollover 401(k) investments to another 401(k) or to an IRA retirement account. If married, this may also be the time to get health care coverage through a spouse's benefits package. By federal law, you become a "qualified beneficiary" of your spouse's plan if your employment ends for any reason other than gross misconduct.

Step 3: Notify your personal network. Hey, it's much better if your contacts hear the news from your mouth rather than from the rumor mill. This is also an important way to get the word out that you are looking for a new position.

Bonus Tip: It's always smart to have an informal verbal deal with your boss to let you know when stuff is about to hit the fan. Your odds of finding a good job while you are still employed are much better than when you're not working.

Step 4: Take advantage of outplacement services. Many companies offer outplacement services to help workers find new jobs. Some of these services offer things like help with resume writing, interview skills advice and career coaching. Some even provide office space and office resources. AARP, of all places, has some nice resources on using outplacement services.

Step 5: Start searching right away. Don't be rash, but don't lollygag either. It's easier to find jobs within a few weeks of the termination. The longer you wait, the more doubt you plant in the minds of employers.

Rob McGovern, CEO of Jobfox, is a regular BetterMondays contributor.  He is also the author of "Bring Your 'A' Game: The 10 Career Secrets of a High Achiever."

 

Freaky Fridays: What's in Your Junk Drawer?

By Barry Lawrence

Here is a photo from Working on the Job. A bunch of funny pictures and videos on this site. BetterMondays asks: What's the weirdest thing in your junk drawer? This drawer is full of bottle caps. A great testament to: Who needs paper files anymore?

Send me you funkiest cubicle collections. E-mail to blawrence(at)jobfox(dot)com. We'll publish them.

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Beating Work and Money Stress

By Barry Lawrence

OK. So everyone is worried about the economy, money and job security. How can you deal with these pressures in more healthy ways?

BetterMondays would like to share some tips from the American Psychological Association (APA). A 2007 APA study, Stress in America, found that nearly 75 percent of people say money and work are two of the top sources of stress. This can result in unhealthy behaviors such as eating to alleviate stress, making poor diet choices, smoking, drinking and being inactive to manage financial and other life stressors.

In other words, many of us just dig the hole deeper.

"Refrain from getting caught up in doom-and-gloom hype, which can lead to high levels of anxiety and bad decision making."

APA urges people to find healthy ways to manage stress. Here are some of their tips for managing stress during tough economic times:

• Pause but don't panic. There are many negative stories in newspapers and on television about the economy. Pay attention to what's happening around you, but refrain from getting caught up in doom-and-gloom hype, which can lead to high levels of anxiety and bad decision making. Avoid the tendency to overreact or to become passive. Remain calm and stay focused.
• Identify your financial stressors and make a plan. Take stock of your particular financial situation and what causes you stress. Write down specific ways you and your family can reduce expenses or manage your finances more efficiently. Then commit to a specific plan and review it regularly.
• Recognize how you deal with stress related to money. In tough economic times some people are more likely to relieve stress by turning to unhealthy activities such as smoking, drinking, gambling or emotional eating. The strain can also lead to more conflict and arguments between partners. Be alert to these behaviors. If they are causing you trouble, consider seeking help from a psychologist or community mental health clinic.
• Turn challenging times into opportunities. Use this experience to find healthier ways to deal with stress. Try taking a walk. Have more dinners at home with your family. Consider learning new skills. This is a great time to think outside the box and try new ways of managing your life.
• Ask for professional support. Credit counseling services and financial planners are available to help you take control over your money situation.

WorkplaceBlues also has some great advice on this topic.

Barry Lawrence is the community advocate for BetterMondays. He is also a career and public relations evangelist at Jobfox.

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Sign of the Times: Social Workers & HR Professionals in High Demand

By Barry Lawrence

It's a sign of difficult times for many. Social workers and counselors are now among some of the nation's most in-demand professionals, according to new findings from Jobfox. Each month, the company produces the Jobfox Top 25 Most Wanted U.S. Job Candidates rankings.

Social workers now rank No. 7, according to the June report.

"For about a year now, there's been a steady increase in the demand for social workers and counselors," said Debbie Sikes, the clinical director for the National Counseling Group Inc., a private group of therapists and counselors providing community-based and outpatient services to people and families throughout Virginia. "With increases in gas and food prices, we are seeing more stress and more demand for outreach services — especially among low-income families. Money and job pressures are often the triggers to higher levels of anxiety and emotional problems."

The big question, on my mind, is: How deep will this recession go? Is this just a recession that will mostly impact the have nots?

For example, the Jobfox rankings list a number of in-demand professions, despite economic woes. HR executives and recruiters are among some of the most wanted professionals. While there are many negative signs, it is uplifting to see that companies are still hiring HR managers and recruiters to attract and retain talent.

My prediction is that most highly skilled professionals will survive this recession — largely untouched. There are certainly sectors — namely construction, manufacturing and retail — where jobs are very difficult to find. But look more closely at the long-term demographic trends and I think you'll agree that most knowledge workers should be comfortable about their job chances in the decade ahead.

"Keep your skills sharp and you should come out on top. For the unskilled, I'm afraid, the next decade could be some turbulent times."

In the United States, the population of Baby Boomers ages 44-to-62 is roughly 77 million strong compared to Generation X (ages 28-to-43), with 40 percent fewer members at 48 million. In 2016, the Baby Boomers will be mostly out of the workforce with the group ranging in age from 52-to-70.

Replacement needs, due mostly to retirement, are anticipated to generate 33.4 million jobs over the next decade, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That doesn't count job openings from economic growth, projected by BLS to add another 17.4 million job openings.

With this demographic trend as a backdrop, keep your skills sharp and you should come out on top. For the unskilled, I'm afraid, the next decade could be some turbulent times.

A final thought. For those lucky enough to be on the road to success, don't forget to be giving to those who are less fortunate.

Barry Lawrence is the community advocate for BetterMondays. He is also a career and public relations evangelist at Jobfox. �

Job Boards are Evolving: Finally!

By Barry Lawrence A new online poll from Jobfox asked recruiters about their biggest frustrations with traditional job boards. The poll found (recruiters could select more than one option) that the top frustrations are:

• 41 percent: Unqualified candidates.
• 41 percent: Too time consuming.
• 38 percent: Too costly.
• 36 percent: Lack of candidate response.

Recruiters are turning to new many new tools today, including matching services such as Jobfox and social networking sites such as LinkedIn. As a job candidate, it's important to keep informed about new tools that employers are using to source professionals. About.com's Alison Doyle is a great source for finding out what is new. �

Remaining Relevant in a Volatile Business World

By Rob McGovern, CEO of Jobfox

Few professionals head straight to the corner office. To get the brass ring, most successful high achievers set out with achieveable goals and then work hard to make their dreams come true with sound execution.

It's not flashy or exciting, but it's the best path to becoming an "A" player.

 A career is a marathon, a 45-year-long strategy game with constantly changing rules and protracted outcomes. The tactics you employ in the first 10 years of the game may take 20 or 30 years to validate. Tougher still, being successful in your career does not necessarily equate with working hard. What it all comes down to is the quality of your career plan.

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined."

— Henry David Thoreau

• 20s: The professional's focus is primarily on learning and acquiring fundamental skills and techniques that will serve as a career platform.
• 30s: With a solid foundation, the professional applies life lessons and begins their ascent on a defined career trajectory, often with accelerated financial returns in exchange for their skills.
• 40s: A period when the professional cashes in on the progress they made in their 20s and 30s.
• 50s: The professional reaps the rewards of successful career planning.

The challenge today, at each step along the way, is to remain relevant in a swiftly changing and highly volatile business world. In doing so, don't think of your career as a ladder. Instead, think of it as a pyramid of blocks, each representing major educational, skill development and growth experiences that will make up your career.

"Like Lego blocks, sometimes you have to build across or even down before you can build up."

Like Lego blocks, sometimes you have to build across or even down before you can build up. To make things more interesting, obstacles and time pressures are associated with some blocks. For example, completing college in your early 20s is more desirable than in your 40s.

The most important step is to define the top block in your pyramid. It's the only way to build a sustainable career superstructure and plan learning steps and associated career moves — along the way — that will contribute to success.

Does this guy really expect me to know where I'll be 30 years from now?

You'd better, unless you want to end up like some of my friends who are now trapped in a fight for relevance in the mid-to-late parts of their careers. Instead of reaping the rewards mentioned above, they find themselves being replaced by younger, more enthusiastic people who can do their jobs at a much lower salary.

"We now live in an 'up-or-out' world."

Today's workers — in their 50s, 40s and now even in the 30s with the increasing speed of business and technology change — often find themselves in a tumultuous period. The suddenly are caught in the web of two economic forces: being valued for their experience and wisdom versus the potential of being replaced by a more youthful and less expensive person.

Your job, throughout you career, is to make yourself one of the most valuable commodities in the economy. We now live in an "up-or-out world." From the start of a career to retirement, blocks of skills must be continuously built — and sometime rebuilt — with the top job goal in mind.

In future blogs, I will talk more about defining the top block in your career pyramid.

Rob McGovern, CEO of Jobfox, is a regular BetterMondays contributor.  He is also the author of "Bring Your 'A' Game: The 10 Career Secrets of a High Achiever."