Use Layoffs to Move Forward By Kathleen Wells, Ph.D. More than half (56%) of all workers and their family members have been laid off at least once in their lifetimes a national survey finds. The survey and report, titled The Disposable Worker: Living in a Job-Loss Economy was conducted by the John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development. Were you one of those suddenly displaced employees? Whether you were laid off or fired, you can survive the experience and use it for personal and career growth. Here's how. The first thing you must do is survive the knee-jerk reaction that you have been personally rejected by your company. Many layoffs and firings occur every day, and the majority have nothing to do with the released employee. The bottom line for any company is profit. If profits require decreasing expenditures, employees often are the first cut. Your boss may love the work you do, but have no choice in the matter. Think over what might have prompted this action. Are you the only one being let go or are there several of you in the same situation? Do not internalize your experience as a personal rejection. This is easier said than done. Our first thought typically is what have we done wrong? Could we have worked harder? In most cases, this has nothing to do with the reason for the layoff. Michelle Narron, corporate communications manager for Phil Long Dealerships, said after being laid off from a previous job she realized she still had a lot to offer. A friend had told her that she was not defined by her career. She wrote in her journal and took a personal inventory. Make a list of all the accomplishments you achieved for your company. This will do two things. First, you will recognize the exceptional work you have done for them and feel better about yourself. Second, it will provide a fresh list of accomplishments to use in your networking and résumé. The second thing to do is to look at this layoff as an opportunity for growth. When Martha Bernard was laid of as a sales executive from a large national manufacturer, she felt angry and as though she had been wronged. Then she questioned her own work. When she passed through those two stages, Bernard came to realize that the layoff provided an opportunity for some soul searching. For her, it was time for a new career and being laid off gave her the opportunity to pursue it. To get by, Bernard quickly accepted another sales position, but continued to question what she might like to do as a new career. Education was her choice and as soon as the decision was made, she began putting her network in place and, within a matter of weeks, new job opportunities presented themselves. Bernard said, "When I let go of the outcome and trusted that investing in me was the most important strategy, everything came together." Career Coach Rose Mary Smith suggests keeping things in perspective. "Look at the transition as an opportunity to explore and do the things you've only dreamed of doing." Smith speaks with the voice of experience. She was laid off by Resource Consultants Inc. and used the opportunity to build her own practice-something she had only dreamed of doing. Not all of you will want a new career, but you will need a new company. The third step, then, is to research new opportunities be they careers or companies. Begin with some soul searching about what level of change you want. New company, new career, new city? What are your goals for your next career step? Was your career meeting all of your needs financially and emotionally? Did you enjoy the work you were doing or did it stop short of giving you the maximum satisfaction? Did it interfere with your family goals? Figure those things out, then start looking for new opportunities. There is truth to the old saying that if you do what you love the money will follow. If you aren't quite sure of what it is you want and what will meet all your needs, read "Do It! Let's Get Off Our But's" by Peter McWilliams. This is an excellent book for deciding on your path and setting goals to achieve it. Finally, when you are ready, dust off your network of friends and colleagues. You should have been keeping up with this network throughout your career, but if not, it is not too late. Talk to everyone! Let them know you are making a career change. Update your résumé leaving off the dates of employment. This will "hide" the fact that you are not currently working or you can list your own consulting business if that fits your field, showing yourself as currently self-employed. Either way, avoid having the dates leap off the page to tell the potential employer that you are unemployed. These things can best be discussed during the personal interview. Give copies of this updated résumé to all of your contacts. Get in touch with the lead headhunters in your field and get the new résumé to them. If you are changing fields, restructure your résumé into one that spotlights your transferable skills in a functional résumé format. Tell the employers in your newly chosen field what you are bringing from your old career that will make you good for them. Do not sell yourself short! According to Michelle Narron, be sure to look in unconventional places to find work in your field. That's how she ended up as a manager in a car dealership. Wendy Burt, editor of InBiz, believes we blind ourselves to better careers and opportunities because we are comfortable. She said, "Sometimes getting fired or laid off can be just the shove we need to take the leap into a better paying position and a more fulfilling career." • Career Planning: 10 Practical Steps for Those Too Busy to Plan • Surviving a merger • Negotiating a salary package Dr. Kathleen Wells is a professional career coach and Director of Coaches That Care. Ask her all your career-related questions.