What do you do when you get laid off?

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Tell your significant other. Tell Mom. Tell your friends, start with the last one you have talked to.
Next, Tell the Unemployment Office.
Then, Tell a neighbor or two.
Tell a couple of family members, be selective. One cousin can broadcast or one Aunt can be consoling. Of course you want to broadcast your news or feel the love to varying degrees... do be prepared for what is to come.

FAQs

OK, now you only have to answer the same questions, over and over and over again for the next few months.

Really?
This is the first question you will face. It is easy to answer but the dialog gets tougher now.

Why?
Well now you have to explain, and explain well. A vague answer will lead to wide open interpretations and more questions.

Why did you get laid off? This question could really be, "Were you fired?" or "Why did you not get fired?" or

Will you be able to sign-up for unemployment benefits?

Can you get Unemployment?

Job Search

Register at the .gov sites for your city, county, state and federal. Every available new hire position for jobs funded by your taxes will be posted. Nearly all government agencies post online as opposed to only in newspapers.

Consider your local community...
Can I walk to work and save an hour of commute every day?

Keep in touch with your old coworkers.
There will be new news at the old workplace, some of due to layoffs like yours and new hiring there and at like companies in the industry.

Work at home
with your talents at sites like Elance and uTest.

Offer your skills
on craigslist.org, monster.

Use your state's Department of Employment job services.

Review Your Budget

Forbear, defer or cancel student loans.

Document communication with your loan handler as it happens. It will make your next conversation much easier. Email, SMS messaging, phone calls, FAX, mail, courier services, and face to face conversations can become a puzzle to recall without record keeping. The institution that handles your loan might not have a record that matches yours. It helps to provide dates and times for previous interactions.

Loan managers will want evidence of qualification for UI Benefits. How do you send evidence of an online qualification confirmation when Sallie Mae wants a copy of a letter? Call your loan servicing client and explain.

Consider your current credit card usage.
Consolidating multiple cards may reduce monthly payment required. Credit card companies still offer low interest for transfers. Transfers may not be best in all cases. You may have one card that has a low interest rate with a considerable balance that will not allow the same low rate for transfers. In that case, just leave that card as it is. Pay less on the cards with the lower interest rates.

Consider refinancing your mortgage. If you know that you will lose your job in advance, it will be easier to refinance then. Consolidate other loans and credit to your new mortgage to benefit from lower taxes and interest.

Alternatives

Retire
Join the Peace Corps.
Use your job skills to start a new business. SBA.gov.
Continue your education. eHow.com

This could be a time for new oportunities.

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