Wednesday focus: The workplace

Ten things to do (or not do) when you get a pink slip:

1. Get mad. Go home and grieve. Have a really good cry. Scream. But do it once. And then move on. Do not cradle your grief.

2. Share your situation with your loved ones. Focus on the good stuff. For at least one day, make a conscious effort to erase job and money woes. Hug your family and friends – it’s an amazing tonic for self-pity.

3. Do not rush out and spend money. Shopping won’t make you feel better. Make a budget. Watch for sales. Clip coupons. Do not run up your credit card debt on the theory that you’ll pay it off later. Be frugal.

4. Sign up for unemployment benefits if you’re eligible. You apply online in the state where you worked. If your pink slip includes severance benefits, bank your state jobless benefits in case you really need them in the future.

5. Find a list of job-loss support groups. Pick out two or three and attend the meetings. You’ll learn a lot about the local job market and get job-hunting tips.

6. Do not plan to suspend job hunting. Make job hunting job one. And even if your first contacts don’t produce a job, you’ll be in the pipeline and familiar with the routine.

7. Network using gatherings at your religious institution and fraternal, club or community organizations. Be positive. Don’t moan about your job loss, but do mention that you’re in a job search. Be brief and specific about what you do or what you’re interested in doing. Be confident.

8. Get up every day at the same time. Get dressed. Use the Internet, the newspaper, business magazines and conversations to get a bead on industries or organizations that are hiring. Do NOT spend your time huddled over the computer, firing resumes out to anything and everything. Target your applications very carefully.

9. Take a subsistence job if money worries or idleness are concerns. Nothing is beneath you if you need the work. Sometimes an entry-level position in the service industry can morph into a management or professional position.

10. Volunteer. Lots of nonprofit organizations are strained by an influx of needy clients. Get out there and help. It will make you feel better to help others and may produce some networking opportunities.

Kansas City Star