You lost your job! Now what?

There have been wide-ranging firings of federal employees throughout the US government, and the ripple effect has cost the jobs of many more. Whether you were a federal worker or in the private sector, if you lost your job, what do you do now?

Here are some practical tips to help you land a new job.

1. Take a breath. Give yourself 24 hours to clear your head. Distract yourself. Get out of the house. Feel your emotions but don't worry about planning anything for one day until you can look at your situation with a clear head.

2. Define your goals. Be realistic. Create your own mental Venn diagram where you understand the overlap and differences between what you want to do and what you have to do.

PRO TIP:

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3. Update your resume. Based on your goals, adjust your resume to not only reflect your recent experience (if appropriate to do so), but also "hone the tone" to suit your primary objective.

Your mantra is, "Landing my next job is a matter of when, not if."

4. Reach out to your network. You have defined your goals and updated your resume to reflect those objectives, now is the time to connect with the people in your network. Be prepared to concisely answer the question, "What kind of opportunity are you looking for?" Recognize that the people in your first circle may not be able to help you directly, but don't be afraid to ask if they know someone in their circle that can.

5. File for unemployment. If applicable, file for unemployment benefits through your state or county. Contact your union if you belong to one.

6. Sign up on job boards. Open up accounts on ZipRecruiter and Indeed. Get your resume and experience uploaded into your account and set flags for the kind of job listings you're interested in.

7. Follow a schedule. You're already used to working set hours as part of your previous job. Set and keep a schedule every day where you allocate time dedicated to your job search. Be methodical. Keep track of where you've applied and which companies are still on your target list.

General Tips to Make Your Job Search More Effective (and Positive)

1. Customize your resume as needed to suit the job description for each job you apply to. Don't be afraid to use the same keywords and phrases in your resume and cover letter that you find in the description, but be honest about it.
2. Stay in touch with your network. Even if someone you know is not in a position to help or connect you with others, they are still rooting for you and want to see you succeed.
3. Maintain the integrity of your connections. If someone in your network refers you to a company who's hiring, or connects you with someone in their network, act with integrity, grace and courtesy. Don't ghost people or act in a way that will taint that relationship. When someone makes a referral, your actions will reflect on them as well as on you.
4. Avoid sounding desperate, even if you are. Maintain positivity. Treat your next job as a "when" not an "if."
5. If someone helped you out, thank them. If their assistance helped you in a tangible way, or even if they just gave you some helpful advice or encouragement, take a moment to reach back to them and say thank you. If you're in doubt about how to do it, use the communication method they used to connect with you in the first place (phone call, email, text message, etc.)
6. Once you land your new job (remember it's when, not if), connect with your network and all the people who helped you out and encouraged you along the way. Let them know how things went and thank them for their help.

Final Advice

If you are currently employed, now is the time to shore up your network. Stay in touch, and genuinely connect. See how they're doing. The economic uncertainty we're experiencing today is affecting everyone. Stay positive and stay connected.

Core Values Index™ and CVI™ are trademarks of Taylor Protocols, Inc.