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What
to Do First
When You Have Lost Your Job
These suggestions
are intended as general advice and may not apply in every
circumstance. You should consult with the appropriate agencies
or advisers for information about your personal situation.
FIRST STEPS
1. Discuss the
situation honestly and calmly with your family.
It is important that children
understand what is happening and what you are
doing to address the situation. They
need to be reassured that they will be
safe and that the family
will be able to cope with the challenges of
unemployment. The
most important thing they need to know is what you are
doing to help the family cope and find new employment.
If your family is not in the habit of holding regular
family meetings, now would
be a good time to consider initiating the
practice for the duration of your
unemployment.
2. Contact the Iowa
Workforce Development Office in person or
online.
File for Unemployment Compensation. (It generally takes 3 to 4 weeks for a
claim to be processed and the first
check to arrive.)
Begin the process of searching/applying for new or
temporary employment.
3.
Contact family members and friends.
Ask friends and family members to
help you find permanent or temporary
job opportunities.
4. Assess your
current financial situation to determine your
basic needs, non-negotiable expenses, and potential
income.
For helpful advice and a household budget worksheet,
consult the
Unemployment Lifeline at:
http://www.unemploymentlifeline.com/node/46805
Consult with people who will be able to
help you make an accurate
assessment of your current and potential
financial condition; your mortgage
banker, credit union,
financial adviser, or insurance agent may be helpful.
Investigate if
you qualify for other assistance programs.
Click here for other assistance
programs
Consult with people who will be able to
help you understand what financial
assistance and services are available to you.
Some resources are the United
Way's 211 referral service,
Iowa Workforce Development and the St. Vincent
de Paul
Society.
Contact major creditors to determine if you can arrange for reduced or deferred
payments.
5. Initiate a strategic
recovery plan.
This plan should include steps you will take to find new or temporary
employment and an emergency family
budget.
6. Begin your search for new or temporary
employment.
Update
your resume and contact your references.
Contact
potential employers in the same or related fields, including suppliers
and customers.
Explore employment possibilities in other areas where you have a personal
interest, training or experience.
Consider
free or inexpensive services
that provide career counseling and job
search assistance such as
college career offices, Iowa Workforce Development
or the public
library.
Keep in mind that temporary jobs produce income (which does not jeopardize
your unemployment
compensation) and contacts; they also show potential
employers that you are willing
to work.
Some online
resources for your job search:
About.com/Job Search Tips
Yahoo Hot Jobs/Search
Tips
Decisions and Choices
Back to Jobless Homepage
Posted 07.11.09
Last Update: 07.05.10 |