It's happened. Your inhumane 'human' resources department just sold you out. They told you your entire department or section of the company has been eliminated. Starting at the end of their meeting with you, you don't have a job. No warning. No time to look for another job while you still have one. Just good-bye, don't let the door hit you on the way out the door. Workers at Sunoco just got the word in the suburban Philadelphia area and it's not the first company in the area to be hit hard by closures or heavy layoffs.
It's happened to me three times. It's always a shock and it never gets easier. Obviously I'm not in professions that are recession proof. Television and Editing. The good thing is I'm one of those people who see being laid off as an opportunity to expand my horizons. You could say I'm a glass half full kind of person.
The real benefit in this job market is it gives you the opportunity or forces you to take a good hard look at what you were doing and find something that will make you happier. It lets you explore your options. You can pick up your talent and experience and take it 'on the road.'
It's critical in this tough job market to keep an upbeat attitude. And if you are over 50 and job hunting it's all about ATTITUDE. You need to remember you may have lost a job but you still have your talent, job skills and expertise.
Showcase that talent and expertise so an employer will look past the beginning of wrinkles and that body that's no longer marathon ready. (OK some of you may be marathon ready, but the majority of over 50's aren't.) Be cocky? No, just be assertive and the professional you are. Be creative (but not with your resume!) Face it, by the time you're over 50 you've had the time to develop into a super talent in your own little niche.
How to look for a job? Think about where your dream job is. No, I'm not kidding. If you're going to change jobs you might as well go for it! Contact people in the industry or company you want to work in and let them know you're interested. Sometimes the ability to generalize skill sets from one industry to a totally different one is a real asset. It shows initiative and the ability to think outside the box.
When I was laid off from doing medical research I made the move to working in television. Big leap? Yes. Impossible? No. It's all about the details! I am the woman on the other end of the phone you don't want to say no to. I'm not high pressure, I'm just good at finding a way to convince you to do what I want. This means any job that needs extreme attention to detail is my personal specialty. Anyone who can talk families into coming back for a medical appointment for followup for a medical study from halfway across the country can certainly talk someone into putting up their huge Christmas display two months early so we could film it for reality television.
OK, parts of my jobs have been a little...odd. And none of my jobs have ever been 9-5. I'm not a 9-5 kind of girl. But I do odd very well and weird hours suit my circadian rhythm. I am an EXPERT at odd. The key word here is EXPERT. Be an expert in your own little area. Expertise in any area is always valuable.
So go ahead, take a day or two, apply for your unemployment so you have food till you find that next job but don't let the hunt get you down! Embrace the opportunity for change. Stay positive. Make new contacts everyday. Now is not the time to start being shy!
Post and let us all know how your job hunt is going. I love hearing from my readers.
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