What to do the day you lose your job

Job loss.  Layoffs. Getting fired.  No matter the reason, losing your job is scary.  We've been through it before.  I remember being surprised at how BUSY we were even though neither of us had a full time job (I was a stay at home mom at the time)!  

If you're reading this, you've likely just found out your job has been cut.  I'm here to share with you the first things to do when you lose your job.

1. Don't beat yourself up.  

Layoffs happen. People get fired for reasons that are stupid.  Hold your head high and march forward.

2. Find out how to continue your health insurance.  

It's unfortunate in our country that our health care is tied to our employment but it's how things are for now.  You may be eligible for COBRA insurance.  Try your very best to not go without health insurance even when you are unemployed.

3. Look up the hours for your unemployment office.

If they are still open, call them.  Find out what you need to do to file.  This process takes awhile so you want to start filing for unemployment benefits ASAP. 

4. Call the local WIC office

If you or your spouse have children under the age of 5 or are pregnant or breastfeeding, you may be eligible for WIC (Women Infants Children).  The eligibility is less strict than food stamps and you would have a good chance at being eligible. 

WIC doesn't provide all your food for the month but they do give things like milk, cheese, carrots, cereal, bread, some baby formula if you formula  feed, etc.  It can be a huge help to your finances.  Click here to see the eligibility requirements for WIC.

5. Visit your SNAP office

SNAP is the food stamp office.  You can find eligibility information on the USDA website here.  Like unemployment, filing for SNAP benefits is a process that requires you to gather various pieces of paperwork and submit an application.  Start by visiting or giving them a call to find out how to proceed.

6. Stop all non-necessary monthly bills

If you're paying monthly for HBO, a cleaning service, subscription boxes like ipsy, or any other kind of monthly bill that's not necessary...cancel it TODAY.  We don't have cable or satellite any more but when we did we preferred Dish Network because you were able to quit at any time without a penalty. 

You will need to keep internet and cell phone service if at all possible. It's extremely hard to job hunt without home internet.  Your local library is an option but for now I'd try to keep your home internet.  

Many people don't have a home phone and just have cell phones now.  Perhaps you can move to a cheaper plan or have one with less data.  Call and see if you can lower the monthly bill.

7. Sell stuff online

When my husband lost his job I immediately listed 3 or 4 things for sale in one of those Facebook sales groups.  I had photos taken and posted before he even got home that night.  It was just a few Longaberger baskets worth $75 or less but it was something.  If you've got a few things laying around that you know you don't need, go ahead and list them online for sale.

8. Organize your contacts

So you've lost your job and now you need a new one.  Make a list of some contacts you know who may work for competitors or at jobs in a similar field.  Plan on calling them today or tomorrow and letting them know you're in the market for something new and do they have any leads.

9. Update your resume

Some advice I got years ago was to keep your resume updated regularly.  Hopefully your resume is fairly up to date but regardless, pull that bad boy out and update it so that you can start attaching it to applications and applying for jobs.  There are free templates online if you need to start from scratch and I've also had success with the basic Microsoft Word resume templates available.  

Keep your resume to 1 page unless you have very technical job certifications and experiences.  As a general rule, those of us under 45 years old shouldn't have more than a 1 page resume.  Employers aren't going to read every little thing on there.  You just want them to look at it and think "YES, we need to interview this person!"  

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I hope doing these 9 things immediately after you lose your job will help you make it through and find your next opportunity!  Remember, keep your head high and don't take rejection personally.  When I was job searching, I read that it takes an average of 100 "no"s before you get a yes.  

Good luck!