Surviving A Job Loss Series : What To Do When You Have Lost Your Job

As of Wednesday, hubby is on the job hunt....again, (meaning this is not the first time he has lost his job).  He is in sales, and with people and businesses cutting back on spending, it is not the best field to be in.  Unfortunately, hearing of people who have lost their jobs is something we hear about almost weekly, so, I thought I would do a series relating to how to survive a job loss. 

I wish no family would have to go through being unemployed, but if you DO find your family in that situation, I hope this info helps. 

Know If You Have Any Employee Benefits Left

Be sure you know what company benefits you have as you leave the company.  Are you vested?  Will your insurance be covered through the end of the month?  What about any commissions you have earned, will you be paid for them? When will the last paycheck be?  Will you be paid for unused vacation days? Know this information, and keep track of it. 

Apply For Unemployment

Don't let it be a pride issue.  Just do it.  Different states do it differently, but start right away with filling out forms through your state's Department of Labor. It can take several weeks to receive your first benefit check, so the quicker you get going, the better.  There may be a different department for food assistance, in GA I believe you go through the Department of Human Services, which is a division of Department of Family & Children's Services. 

Think of other sources that may give assistance. Hopefully, you will not need to use these resources, but it is nice to know they are there, if you DO need help.  Especially if it is taking longer to find employment than what you thought.

• Churches - Some churches have food and clothing pantries
• WIC - Woman Infants Children
• Local food pantries - Local pantries assist with groceries.
• Medicaid - Many states offer low or free medical insurance for kids
• Energy assistant programs - There are programs that will assist with bills for your home.

 Tell People You are looking for a job

It is a tough thing telling people you have lost your job...especially after the 3x, but the more people who know, the more who are praying for you.  There are also people who may know of an job opportunity for you.  

 Reevaluate Your Living Expenses

 Are there areas where you can cut expenses until you gain employment again?

• Cable
• Eating Out
• Groceries
• Gym memberships
• Hobbies - scrapbook, golf

 Remember, it is only temporary.

Start the Job Search

Get your resume updated and hit the job boards:

Career Builder,     Monster,     Yahoo Jobs,    Indeed