****** FACT ****** Losing a job is one of most stressful life events. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. With this in mind, you will need a good action plan in order to recover as quickly as possible from a job loss.

The following eight tips will help make sure that recover from a layoff sooner than you think.

=========================================== Tips You Must Know To Survive A Layoff ===========================================

#1 - DON'T PANIC: You may have lost your job but you have not lost everything. You are a skilled individual and will work again. Do not ever lose sight of these two simple sentences. Do not let yourself fall into a spiral of negative thinking. Think back to all other people that you know of that have lost jobs in past and are now successfully employed.

#2 - REFLECT AND RECOVER: Step back and clear your head. Anger and fear are two of most common emotions experienced after a job-loss. Neither is conducive to clear thinking or good decision-making. Take some time to talk through your feelings of loss with friends and family members. If this does not help, consider services of a professional counselor. Sort through your emotional baggage or else risk dragging it with you on your job-search. #3 - ORGANIZE YOUR FINANCES: Take a serious look at your spending habits. List out your monthly expenses into 2 groups- absolutely necessary and optional. If you have already been laid off you should limit your spending to first category. If you are still employed but fearing what future may hold, start cutting back in second category. A general rule of thumb is to keep enough cash to cover at least two months worth of expenses in bank for emergencies. If you have not had a chance to do so as of time of termination, you still have options. Don’t forget that most companies offer a severance package to laid off employees. In addition you can also contact your local un-employment agency regarding unemployment benefits. #4 - INSURANCE: Just because you have lost your job does not mean that you and your family have immediately lost all insurance coverage that you had while you were employed. It just means that now you are responsible for paying for it all by yourself. Under COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act) generally you can remain on your former employer’s plan for up to 18 months as long as you pay premiums. Remember that there are time limits for signing up for COBRA. You can get more COBRA information from human resources department of your former employer.

When you read your resume out loud, does it sound like a history report? Even with many adjectives theme can surprisingly sound repetitive.

Do these sound familiar?

“I worked for…” “My responsibilities were…” “My duties included…”

Does a prospective employer care about what you “did for other companies”? Of course they do, but that doesn’t mean that’s what they really want to know. Conducting a job search is a marketing campaign, moreover, a sales process, not your personal history lesson.

Do you consider obtaining a position a sales process? If not, you should. There are many ways to make a sale but all of them include a marketing campaign. Your resume is your marketing tool. It is your most important marketing tool. Make sure your marketing tools reflect what you bring to a company, not what you once brought to other companies.

Does a hiring manager care about what your duties were in a position you had 10 years ago? Maybe, if they are associated with a position you are seeking.