Turning a Layoff Into Lemonade
How losing your job might be the best thing to happen to your career.
Layoffs often provide an opportunity to undergo an extreme career makeover, giving you the chance to pursue options you might never have considered when your former job was a given. Of course, not everyone has a big stash of cash or monied relatives to get them through. However, even if you don’t have a fat bank account, you can still make a career transition, says Robin Ryan, a career counselor in Seattle and author of “60 Seconds and You’re Hired!” (Penguin). The severance and unemployment insurance payments that often come with a layoff can give you time to re-examine your career path, she says. Plus, she adds, “The biggest salary increases typically come from moving from one job to another when you negotiate effectively.”
So how can you profit from a layoff? Some companies offer job retraining and career counseling as part of their severance packages, so be sure to ask the company’s human resources department about any such options, Ryan says. Community colleges, alma maters and professional associations also have low- or no-cost career transition resources, as well as networks of alumni and members who may be able to help. Information about federally and state funded workforce development and training programs is available at your local or state labor department, local unemployment office and community college workforce development department, Ryan advises. These may include classes or on-the-job training programs that are available at little to no cost, especially in geographic areas or industries that have been hard-hit by job losses. In Marchuska’s case, she paid for her classes out of her own pocket, but made contacts that helped her find out about other classes and contacts that have helped her business.
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