What to Do If You Get Fired: First Steps
Feb. 5, 2009
This was posted on one of my site's forums.
You should do an article for subscribers about what to do in the case of a job loss.1) What to pay first with limited funds. Credit cards? Rent/Mortgage? Utilities? Food? Who can be delayed/negotiated and who cannot?
2) Best way to look for a job in a saturated market? How low to go on price? Side jobs?
3) Defensive actions? Stockpiling foods?
These are the right questions to ask.
On the day you get fired, the following should be in place.
1. Your job application. I do not mean the boring list of things you have done. These get tossed out automatically. I mean your sales letter, which is targeted to at least half a dozen companies that might hire you, anywhere in the country. Your resume must sell the company on what you can do for the company. Be specific. Your standard list of past accomplishments should be posted on-line. Don't waste the screener's time. Just provide a TinyUrl link to the on-line posting. It is posted only as verification. The real support page in your letter lists those things that prove that you can do what you promise.
Revise this. Tailor it for a specific company. Then mail it.
Salary issue. Find out what the typical salary is in your field in the city you are promising to move to. Decide now to work for 70% of this. But make it clear to the prospective employer that this is a "test drive" wage. Once you prove yourself, you want 100%. Offer to work for one year at this low-ball rate.
The clincher: if the firm is local, offer to work as an unpaid intern for one month. They don't have to pay an intern anything. Nobody ever makes an offer like this. Goal: just get in the door.
2. Your blog site. Your job application should refer the screener to your blog site or web site. On how this works, visit my department on Blogging. There should be at least 50 articles on it relating to your specialty. Make it look as though you have been posting articles, links, and comments for months. Years is better. This shows that you are not a run-of-the-mill desperate applicant.
3. Have no debt on your credit cards. Get these paid off now. Pay off the highest interest debts first.
4. Food sorage It is smart to have at least two months' worth of low-cost packaged foods and canned goods in the garage or basement or somewhere in your house. This will remind you, day by day, to do what it takes to avoid getting fired.
AFTER YOU GET THE BAD NEWS
5. Do not delay payments for anything. A delayed payment will lead to a huge hike in your credit card's interest rate the following month. You must get credit card debt paid off.
6. Get a part-time job doing anything. You must not sit around doing nothing. The only justification for not working full-time is that you are spending 8 hours a day on your job search. Work an extra four hours. Get a job at a fast food place, if you must. Mow lawns. Shovel snow. Whatever it takes, get employed. You need this for psychology's sake.
7. Get onto the forum on Job, Calling, and Career. This forum is there to help you. Why not use it? There are site members who are survivors. Ask questions. Get opinions. You belong to this site. You have this forum as your ace in the hole. Use it.
It is better not to get fired. Read my articles in my department, Fireproof Your Job.