The Unemployment / Job Loss Support Center

Every person is unique, but when you face a challenge like unemployment or losing a job, you are never alone. Countless men and women have faced the exact same problem and have survived and thrived. The following guide is designed to help you navigate your journey with the best information and resources that helped other survivors when they faced the same challenge.

TSC has scoured the Internet and assembled links to the very best resources about unemployment and job loss: Articles, blogs, forums and tools that can help you make better decisions and take action to overcome the range of physical, emotional and other challenges that you face.

As you’ll see, we always welcome your ideas and suggestions to make this Job Loss/Unemployment guide even more helpful to survivors like you.

JUST FOUND OUT

Survivors say these are the best resources for those who have just found out -- check them out to find out more about your options.

• AARP: Typical Reactions to Job Loss  offers great advice to those who have lost jobs after many years of fruitful employment.
• US Department of Labor: Deal with a Job Loss  The U.S. Department of Labor offers several specific resources for those who have recently lost their job, or have experience long-term unemployment.

The Big Picture

Losing a job or experiencing a long bout of unemployment slides into the universal category of “tip of the iceberg.” There is so much associated with being without a steady source of income that years ago the federal government even sought to aid the situation. Job loss and unemployment often results in residual effects of stress, illness and depression, yet with the proper approach, many of those negative effects can be avoided.

Regardless of how or why you lost a job, or why you are struggling to find a new one, with persistence and a positive attitude there will can be light at the end of the tunnel.

Job loss and unemployment may be a foreseeable consequence of a struggling economy, or it may come as a sudden shock after several years of dedicated employment. Regardless of the case, learn to recognize signs of a potential lay-off or job loss.

CareerAdvice.com: 13 Warning Signs of a Pending Lay Off

Your Unemployment/Job Loss

Whether you're laid-off or let go permanently, different job loss circumstances may dictate how long you'll be unemployed. Understanding your situation and your options will greatly help in subsequent forward motion.

About.com: Human Resources - When Employment Ends: Layoffs, Job Termination, Firing, Resignations

Your World

The emotional experience associated with unemployment/job loss can be a shock that really knocks the breath out of you. Consider a few simple steps to keep the situation as “business related” as possible, while still caring for your own emotional state.

HR World: Laid Off: 16 Ways to Make the Best of a Bad Situation

Telling other adults that you lost your job may come as a shock to them, yet they are far better equipped to understand than a child. Consider some excellent advice on explaining job loss to children.

Kaboose: How To Tell Your Kids About a Job Loss

Unemployment/Job Loss Myths

• I should earn close to what my job was paying through unemployment benefits.
• I can continue to file unemployment claims until I find a job. 
• Everyone can file for unemployment.

Information and Recommended Links for Survivors

The U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration will help familiarize you with the laws and rights associated with job loss and unemployment.

The Unemployment Resource Online  will help connect you to the answers you need, appropriate to your state of residence.

What to do After Losing a Job

The first thing you need to do after losing your job to a layoff or termination is accept your situation and then prepare to move forward.

Top7Business: Top 7 Keys to Avoid Inaction After Losing Your Job

As you begin the process of moving forward, it's important to understand where you presently are. Organization and an excellent plan will help lead to positive results.

e-How: How to Organize Your Job Search

Dealing With the Emotions of Job Loss

Before you can successfully pursue a new job, you need to deal with everything associated with the job you just lost. Coping with that loss will allow you to refresh your perspective and progress.

About.com: Career Planning - Job Loss

Writing down how you feel about your job loss and job search helps clear your head of negative emotions. Also, writing down your job skills and strengths will give you a boost of self-esteem that you'll need for your job hunt.

The Resiliency Center: Resiliency Skills for Handling the Emotional Side of Job Loss and Job Search

For many, job loss occurs too close to a planned retirement, creating additional questions. There is excellent advice for anyone wearing those shoes.

Your Career Service: Handling Emotions Over a Job Loss

Beginning the Job Search

You'll want to do a thorough self-assessment before you officially begin your job search. Knowing yourself, what you offer and what you can expect will help make the process much more efficient.

AARP: Before You Begin Your Job Search

Knowing what to expect in the job search process will help you properly prepare you for the contemporary market. You'll need to know where to look, the latest trends for resume building and how to excel during the interview process.

About.com: Job Searching - Job Search Tips

Assistance Available For Unemployment/Job Loss

Unemployment insurance is an excellent option after losing a job. It will take some work on your behalf, yet it will help offer some financial cushion while you're searching for another job.

About.com: Job Searching - Unemployment - Filing for Unemployment

USDA Food and Nutrition Service: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)  is the new name for food stamps. Job loss can present greater hardship for families than finances. Properly accepting assistance available during hardship will help you avoid stress associated with your temporary situation.

WelfareInfo: Applying for Welfare

Books Survivors Recommend

• Hardest Times: The Trauma of Long-Term Unemployment – by Thomas J. Cottle
• Landing on the Right Side of Your Ass: A Survival Guide for the Recently Unemployed – by Michael Laskoff 
• Losing Your Job-Reclaiming Your Soul : Stories of Resilience, Renewal, and Hope – by Mary Lynn Pulley

Information and Recommended Links for Co-Survivors

How you can help

• When someone you love loses a job, the first thing they'll need is someone to listen. Allow them and even encourage them to express of their feelings associated with the ordeal. Whether a firing or a layoff, you can help them understand that the situation can be temporary. Rutgers: Supporting Someone Who Lost a Job [PDF File]
  
• Help point the survivor toward resources that can help, such as unemployment insurance.
• Encourage a progressive attitude; attend a job or career fair with your friend or family member so they feel support in searching for a new job or a potential new career.

What to say

• “You offer wonderful assets to employers, and you'll find another job that's suited toward your strengths.”
• “You qualify for unemployment, and should consider filing.”
• “I'm sorry you lost your job. If you want to talk about it, I'm happy to listen.”

What not to say

• “That company wasn't worth working for anyway!”
• “What are you going to do? There's no way you can afford your lifestyle making less than you were.”
• “You should have worked more overtime for them, and you'd probably still have your job.”

Things you can do for a survivor every day

• Take them to lunch. A kind gesture can do wonders for confidence.
• Continue to listen. When they have gotten beyond the disbelief and potential anger, trigger a conversation about their hopes for the future.
• Stay positive. It will be easy for a job loss survivor to focus on the negative, especially if the job search process begins to drag. You don't have to sugarcoat reality, but you can remain positive.

How to Build a Support Network 

• Set up your TSC Co-Survivor Profile
• Create a support group for your loved one with unemployment/job loss
• Interact with others, share stories and offer advice to help other survivors and co-survivors

How to help a survivor deal with day-to-day challenges

• Family – Unemployment can cause damaging effects to a family. Oftentimes there is a residual guilt or shame that leads to depression and sadness within the family unit. By getting the family involved in social activities, you can greatly assist the attitude that will accompany the job search.
• School – For students relying on work to pay for school, unemployment can be a most feared circumstance. Encourage them to stay enrolled in school while they search for a job that can replace some of their income. Lifestyle changes can help make ends meet.

Losing a job, or dealing with unemployment isn't the end of the world. Think back to the beginning of your employment history. Chances are, your first job wasn't a part of your desired career. In order to thrive during adversity, sometimes you have to sacrifice. Considering job loss and unemployment, you may have to work a job that is less than ideal while you continue searching for a new career vehicle. Lifestyle changes may also be necessary to make finances stretch for individual and family priorities.

Recovery and Recurrence

Though you may never enjoy full security when it comes to a job, you can certainly plan ahead. In the event that you ever deal with another job loss, an emergency savings fund can help alleviate the stress of being without income.

About.com: Financial Planning - Why You Need an Emergency Fund

If your job search is seeming to offer very little in terms of potential, consider your methods. If you haven't tapped into all sources of information, you're missing out on many opportunities. Put the Internet to work for you, and you'll increase your search potential. You may also want to consider the prospect of career counseling.

National Career Development Association

A great way to deal with a situation like unemployment is by taking inspiration from those who have walked the path before you.

Bankrate.com: What to do once you've been handed a pink slip

Giving Back

• Create a TSC Survivor Profile
• Share your story – Interact and provide updates
• Become a mentor to another survivor

When unemployment lasts longer than anticipated, it can bring with it many negative effects. Potential dreams for your future, as well as your family's future may begin to fade – without a doubt, that's a scary place to be. At that point, you need to prioritize and reconsider your unemployment scenario. If you're able to work, it may be time to swallow pride and pursue other options. A career counselor may help you refocus and progress in the search.

FocusCareer.com: Career Counselors