Financial crisis starts to hit home

Dear Harriette: My best friend lost her job last week thanks to massive layoffs at her company. She had worked there for about 10 years and was about to get a promotion. I think she’s kind of in shock now.

She has some money saved up, so she’ll be all right for a while. But I don’t know how to help her, what to say. She’s really sad. I think she should brush up her resume and jump back out there to look for a job, but so far she’s just moping around.

Advice? — Marvetta, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Dear Marvetta: I’m so sorry to hear about your friend. She is one of thousands of Americans who have recently lost their jobs. And more layoffs are yet to come, I fear. I think you are right. The sooner your friend jumps back into the job search, the better off she will likely be. She does need to take a short while to get her attitude and resume together.

I recommend that she think outside the proverbial box. What is her training? What peripheral jobs might match her skill set? What is her temperament? Is there a field of work that complements her interests and abilities?

Encourage your friend to explore her interests now. She should go to a counselor if she needs emotional support. Get her to take a walk with you, to go outside and see the world and remember that possibilities still exist for her. Yes, we are living in tough times. But your friend should not give up. It’s time for creative thinking and the support of loved ones like you!