Mass Layoffs in America, Surviving the Layoff Notice

By: IMVALTAYLOR Click author's name for more of his/her articles

I recall receiving my layoff notice in December and I remember thinking thank you Lord for blessing me. I may have initially thought this because it was the holiday season but pure happiness was the only thing on my mind. I didn't know what I was going to do but I had worked over 30 years and I was tired of the mendacity of the day to day. I was happy and I knew I could find something else to do.
Then it happened like a world wind, everyone around me began to get laid off. Friends, neighbors and before the end of the summer this year, over 10 million people had also received their layoff notice. I thought how are we going to survive? At 51, I am certainly too young to really be retired. Most of us who received a layoff notice were probably 50 or older, so who is going to hire us and more importantly who's hiring?
I turned to the internet for answers and I made the declaration, that there is an opportunity for me to become successful and thrive without walking into a corporate office ever again. I was right to have that initial feeling of sheer jubilee. When I received my layoff notice, the gut feeling I had was the correct feeling because I knew a few things about myself. I knew I had 30+ years of knowledge and skills so I understood what I could do. Guess what? So do you. You have knowledge and skills to not only survive but thrive after receiving a layoff notice even in this economy.
I wanted to share this article with those who are not happy about receiving their layoff notice and I hope this can inspire you to move forward with your work life. I developed a four step process for surviving a layoff. Regardless of whether you feel you were wronged, remember you had enough talent to acquire whatever status you reached at your job and you can still capitalize on that talent to thrive today.
The internet, the Web 2.0 explosion which has enabled us to become communities of sharing may just be the blessing to all who received layoff notices. You see technology has a way of not necessarily leveling the playing field, but making sure there are enough players. Remember the beginning of the auto industry; Henry Ford had to have workers to put the cars together. The railroad industry, the garment industry and on and on.
Today, information is no longer pushed to us, and we blindly accept it. We have become the information through the sharing of content with friends, neighbors and families all over the world. You see the little guy is the big guy now and it's so exciting. Use your talents and skills to capitalize on that. It's powerful. I know that doesn't pay the electric bill or buy groceries. But look to the internet for a niche where you can prosper and remember you have talent to do so.
This four step process is a four letter word that you need to fall in love with over at least the next 12 months. WORK! If you take heed to it you'll never have to walk into a corporate office again unless you own it.

Step One
Get UP - Get up every day (5:00 or 6:00am) as if you were going to work and
Begin to write. Write:
Your short term one week, two week goal
Write your 30 day, 60 day 90 day goal
Write your 6 months goal
Write your one year goal
Write your 5 year goal
During this time you would also do personal development like exercise, read and learn

Step Two
Stay UP - Don't neglect family obligations. That means you may have to be up when they are asleep, but remember you are on a mission to thrive in your new work life. Here you would do research on what your interest are and what your skills are and try to merge the two.

Step Three
Plan your Work - You must have a plan of action. What are you going to do every day to achieve the results you desire? Map it out. If you can see it you can be it.

Step Four
Work your plan- Work it like never before, work harder and smarter than you ever did at your old job and stay consistent. Most people get tired and quit right at the brink of a great breakthrough. DON'T QUIT! Work it stay consistent and you will prosper.

I'm Val Taylor and I am on a mission to teach as many as I can reach the power of marketing YOU INC. online. I have a goal of connecting the online dots for those who need help using web 2.0 tools to market themselves.

For more about me see my blog:
Imvaltaylorblog.com
713.440.6799