Laid off in the sinking economy? Here's some help

It could happen to you.

U.S. employers cut 533,000 positions in November, the largest monthly total in 34 years. Locally, hundreds of workers have lost jobs this fall at companies and organizations including BAE Systems, Colonial Williamsburg, International Paper, Smithfield Foods and The Virginian-Pilot.

"You have to go through your stages of grief privately and you have to engage actively," said Mary Greer Landon, associate vice president for work force development at Tidewater Community College.

It's OK, counselors say, for laid-off workers to cry and rage alone or with loved ones and friends. But they need to move ahead briskly with their job search, scrutinizing new outlets for their abilities and networking without inhibition.

Getting the news

"You've got to keep your composure," said Wil LaVeist, a Norfolk editor who recounted his layoff in "Fired Up: How to Win When You Lose Your Job." "You've got to try to do more listening than talking."

Don't yell or make a scene. "You never know who else that employer knows or can refer you to," said Suzan Thompson, the director of the Beach Counseling and Career Center. If you're on good terms with the boss, ask for a recommendation.

Ask if there is a severance agreement. If it is offered, don't sign it immediately. "You have to look very closely at what rights you're releasing for that money," said Lisa Bertini, a shareholder in the Norfolk law firm Bertini O'Donnell & Hammer PC. "You should feel bold to question it" if you don't think it's sufficient.

Last weeks on the job

Don't call in sick, get in late or bad-mouth your boss. "Make sure the projects you're working on are in the best order possible if you're not able to finish them," said Thompson, clinical coordinator for Old Dominion University's graduate counseling program.

"Any kind of class your company is offering, go for it," said Dottie Farleigh of Chesapeake, who took a resume-writing class before she lost her job at General Electric in the '80s.

Schedule medical appointments while your employer is covering your insurance, said Rozanne "Roze" Worrell, a workplace consultant whose column appears on WVEC-TV's Web site.

Before you leave, gather your training certificates, company awards, phone numbers and e-mail addresses of colleagues, and copies of e-mailed compliments, said Scot Herrick, founder of www.cuberules.com, a Web site offering "career management for cubicle warriors." Also, delete personal items from your work computer, including password files.

Unemployment insurance

Apply for it even if you're not sure you're eligible. Don't let pride stand in your way. Benefits range from $54 to $378 a week, depending on previous income, said Hosey Burgess, a work-force service supervisor for the Virginia Employment Commission in Norfolk.

Apply immediately after your job ends. If you delay, you will not get benefits from the time you leave your position to the time you apply for unemployment. The first check should come about three weeks after you apply, Burgess said.

Health insurance

You may continue your health coverage through your former employer under the COBRA program, which can be significantly more expensive. You may sign up for COBRA within 60 days of your last day at work and stay with it for at least 18 months.

But "a person has more options than COBRA to try to continue their care," said Philip Lebherz, the founder and executive director of the Foundation for Health Coverage Education, based in San Jose, Calif. If you're healthy, o ne alternative is to secure an individual policy with higher deductibles.

Virginia's low-cost insurance programs include Family Access to Medical Insurance Security, for eligible children and pregnant women, and the Uninsured Medical Catastrophe Fund, for people with life-threatening illnesses and injuries.

Maintaining emotional health

Try to get beyond anger. "If I stay in that angry place and blame others, I continue to be the victim," said Marty Phillips, assistant executive director of Tidewater Pastoral Counseling Services. "Being the victim doesn't help mobilize my energy and get out of the place I'm in." He suggested volunteering: "One of the things that can help heal us is reaching out to others." Also, Worrell suggested avoiding negative people.

Exercise or physical labor can relieve stress. Farleigh helped her father build a shed when she was out of work; LaVeist pummeled a punching bag in a gym. "I punched that bag instead of getting into confrontations," he said.

Taming your budget

List your expenses and remaining income sources on an Excel spreadsheet, Landon said. Trim back the nonessentials. "Do you need to shut down your cable?" she asked. "Do you have to have pictures on your cell phone?"

Other cost-savers: Stop eating out, refrain from lattes, consolidate car trips. But, Landon said, allow yourself an inexpensive weekly treat, such as an ice-cream cone.

Housing expenses can be reduced, said Vince Carpenter, a financial planner with Chesapeake Financial Services. Alternatives include taking in boarders or roommates, moving in with your parents or sharing space with a sibling.

If you anticipate trouble making your monthly mortgage payment, call your lender immediately. "They don't want your house," Carpenter said. "They will work with you if you tell them at the beginning." Home-owners 62 and older might consider a reverse mortgage, he said.

Conducting the job search

Keep to a schedule, as you did at work, with a daily to-do list, but give yourself weekends off. Consider doing some tasks at a public library or coffee shop. "Being around others can help with feelings of isolation and the loss of seeing people daily at work," said Kelly Scharver, a counselor at the Beach Counseling and Career Center.

Think beyond your previous career. Examine other fields that dovetail with your interests. Check labor market statistics to see what the outlook is for them. Consider going into business for yourself "if there's something you can do that you're passionate about and has a current or future demand," Carpenter said.

Cleanse your portfolio of embarrassing items, such as revealing photos on Facebook, e-mail addresses with phrases like "sexy mama" and unprofessional voicemail messages on your phone. "Employers don't have 30 to 40 seconds to listen to rap, rock or some saying that you think is cute," said Curtis D. Wray, a work-force services consultant in Norfolk with the Virginia Community College System.

Networking

"Don't be embarrassed - let everyone know," said Kimberly Staley, director of Opportunity Inc.'s One-Stop Workforce Center in Norfolk. Talk to people at your church, synagogue or mosque; fellow parents at your children's sporting events, former professors, co-workers and business contacts. Other places to spread the word: alumni networks, sports bars and holiday parties.

The resume

"You don't want to have just one resume you send out and one cover letter," said Lindo Gharib, the Richmond branch manager for Robert Half International, a staffing firm. "Make sure you tailor your resume and cover letter to that position and that hiring director." Keep it brief - generally one to two pages. Don't exaggerate your accomplishments. Proofread it for errors.

Interviewing

Remember the basics: Shave, shower and comb your hair. Don't dress down. Get there early. Turn off your cell phone.

Articulate how your abilities will meet the company's needs. Provide concrete examples of achievements, whether projects, reports or productivity gains. Research the potential employer and come prepared to ask a few questions. "The interview is a two-way street," Gharib said. "Nothing turns me off more than a candidate that knows very little or nothing about the company."

Stay positive. Don't knock your ex-boss. With regard to your layoff, "touch it and run," said Landon from TCC. "You can say, 'I was part of a downsizing process and I'm looking to - I can benefit you because I have these skills.' "

If you get a no, don't blame yourself. "Say, 'They missed a good thing with me,'" said Dominic Verrastro of Virginia Beach, a retired recruiter and marketing executive who's been laid off. "Just dust yourself off and get back up."

Negotiating an offer

If the salary is less than you were making, lobby for more. If you get nowhere, don't rule out the offer in today's gloomy economy. "You may have to look at it as a steppingstone to a second or third job," said LaVeist, editor of Mix magazine, published by a division of The Virginian-Pilot.

Beginning the new job

"This is your new life now, your chance to have a clean slate," Landon said. So concentrate hard on "attendance, performance and attitude. Take advantage of every training opportunity offered to you."

Keep doing research on your employer. Read its annual reports. If it is publicly traded, Carpenter said, buy some stock and attend a shareholders meeting.

Start saving money, update your resume and jot down the phone number and Web site of a professional association. "You always, always should be preparing for the next stage," Landon said.

It could happen again.

Philip Walzer, (757) 222-3864, phil.walzer@pilotonline.com