Career Resources – How to Survive a Job Loss

Given the situations that exist within the economy, more and more people are conce
ed that they will be facing a job loss. Despite the fact that being out of work can be a terrifying prospect - after all, so much relies on having a paycheck and even just the consistency of a schedule and routine - we all have career resources that we can rely on. The biggest challenge that many people have, however, is that they do not know how to identify the career resources that are available to them.

In order to survive a job loss, there are the obvious things that you will need to do. You'll need to take the time to come to terms with the changes in your life and you'll need to be sure that you've looked at your financial situation and ensured that you have a plan in place for yourself and your family. Then you'll want to start looking at career resources - both those that are obvious and those that are a little bit less obvious.

Obvious career resources involve your skills and your talents - the things that you draw on every day that are extremely beneficial to your career and to any business that you are working with. Similarly, you'll find that drawing on the experiences that you have will enable you to understand the path you are on and to identify whether or not you want to continue in the same field.

Just because there are obvious career resources however, doesn't mean that you shouldn't scratch at the surface a little bit; often you'll find that just beyond your initial sense of what's available to you is a treasure trove of assets:nn n· There are the connections that you've made. Friends, business acquaintances, mentors, former colleagues that have moved on previously: all of these individuals can provide advice and references when you are looking to break into a new field or looking for new opportunities. Don't hesitate to look a bit further though; for example, if you've always gone to the same coffee house and know the owner, he or she may also be able to steer you toward a great opportunity. nnn· There are your interests. Whether you've volunteered your services or simply had a passion for a particular topic, you may find that this too is a career resource. Volunteer positions that are outside of the realm of your traditional career provide additional skills and may open the door to a field that offers greater rewards.

In other words, if you are faced with a job loss - or even just the potential that it could happen to you - it's important to make sure that you are looking beyond the moment. When you are able to identify your career resources along with your strengths and contacts, you will be able to do more than just survive; you'll find that you are able to thrive and to find a new position that not only gives you stability, but also that offers its own rewards.

Copyright 2009, Cecile Peterkin. All rights reserved.