How to Prepare for Life after Losing a Job?

Life After a Job Loss

Losing a job is tough. Whether the losing your job is voluntary or involuntary, the change can be a challenge to cope with initially. As a result of this potential dislocation with your expected routine, we have put together a list of things to consider today instead of waiting. Being proactive today is your best ally to combat the changes of tomorrow – every time.

Invest in Yourself

More specifically, take a class or two to enhance or upgrade a particular skill set. The additional classes just may be the ticket to landing a great job and vaulting your career to the next level. Consider taking a single class at a time to help maintain a good work-life balance while seeking out new information in an unrelated or tangential field of study.

Think about enrolling in a short series of classes to provide depth and breadth in an existing discipline. Lastly, commit to a longer series of quality classes to help invigorate your mind and to help sharpen the proverbial saw.

If there is a specific skill you were looking to improve upon, start by searching careers or degrees at MatchCollege. The ideas will percolate and generate an inherent excitement for the future.

Training and Certifications

For short-term training opportunities of two years or less, there are a few options to think about after losing a job. If you were involved in a large-scale layoff, you may qualify for federal funds to help with your retraining process.

The United Stated Department of Labor has a very helpful resource called the Rapid Response Service for workers involved in a large scale layoff. In fact, you may be eligible for on-site consultation by the Department of Labor if certain criteria are met with the size and scope of the layoff. The Rapid Response service extends to veterans, adults with disabilities, income support, career counseling, health benefits, along with education and training opportunities.

On the other hand, a certification is an hours-based or credit-based program that could be a viable option for you pending a job change. You can expect a certificate to take less than a year to complete and include between 8 and 30 credits, generally speaking. Certain certificates are geared towards adding specific skills to your professional portfolio after attaining a bachelor or master’s degree; while other certificates are created to quickly get a person trained and into a new field more rapidly. To help start this process, quickly search MatchCollege by Degree Offered and type in ‘certificate’ for hundreds of available programs by school.

Finish or Extend an Existing Degree

The option of finishing or adding on to an existing degree is predicated upon having already earned college credits at some point prior. Before jumping into this option, be objective and take stock of your professional skill set compared to what is being required by employers.

More specifically, if employers in your municipality or township are in need of specific trades, work with them to determine what is needed to successfully join their organization. This extra step will help you properly align your expectations as well as allow you to network with purpose.

Enroll in a Class for Free

It is never been easier to hop into a college class for free. The options can range from Coursera to Kahn Academy to Harvard University. The number and type of classes is vast & exciting to think about; however, these options will not provide college credits for completing a class so ensure a future job is not dependent upon that feature.

With so many options at your dispose, please do your research and you will surely find a viable path towards gainful employment & career satisfaction after a layoff. We have included a few other resources below to help you stay busy and full of information about your future.