Job Loss

• There are many feelings brought about by job loss, no matter how the job is lost.
• This is a time to rethink your plans and look for new opportunities
• A new entrepreneurial approach to job search and income earning is possible and may bring results.

What this means for the Older Worker

• Losing a job can be confusing and upsetting, no matter when it happens. You might worry that you are too old to be hired again and that this job loss spells the end of your working life.
• It is easy to feel depressed and think that you've been 'thrown on the scrap heap'. But remember that these feelings are a normal part of the job loss experience and they won't last.
• You can learn to grieve job loss and move on to a new job or other income earning activity such as a small business. There is a risk of getting stuck in depression, but there are also many things you can do to help yourself get through this difficult time.

Take an Entrepreneurial Approach

An entrepreneurial approach to dealing with job loss means seeing this time as an opportunity to try something else, upgrade your skills, or start a small business. Yes job loss is an ending of one phase of your life, but you can also choose to see it as the beginning of a new phase. Try to think positively, even when that's very difficult. Trust that you'll find another job-maybe not as soon as you'd like (yesterday) but soon.

Seek Help

You can create opportunities for yourself by first acknowledging your feelings around the job loss experience. Many people feel anger, frustration, betrayal and depression after a job loss. Talk to someone you trust-it helps. Attend workshops at your local Career Resource or Job Resource Centre-you'll learn some new strategies for finding work, writing résumés and cover letters, and also meet people in the same situation. Then, start to organize your life and prepare for your future.

Things to think about

• The feelings you have after job loss are a normal reaction to the experience even though they can often be unsettling and upsetting.
• Seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness.
• You are not alone-many other Older Workers are experiencing job loss and may share your feelings and frustrations.

Things to do

• Start by focusing on your strengths, what you know, and what you have to offer an employer. Make a list of your strengths and look at it often.
• Make a To Do list
  1. List all the things you can do to get a job.
  2. Break each item down into small tasks or steps.
  3. Check off everything you get done.
  4. Give yourself credit for everything you do.
• Make looking for a job your job right now.
• Take a computer class or two. This is a chance to learn some new skills or upgrade those you already have so your computer skills are current.
• Attend workshops about résumé writing, interview skills etc.
• Talk to someone you trust about how you're feeling.
• Learn to recognize all your strengths and personal assets (experience, skills, education) and explore new ways to use them to find or create a job.
• Begin to plan and organize your life for the future.

Additional information

Cliff Hakim. When You Lose Your Job: Laid off, Fired, Early Retired, Relocated, Demoted, Unchallenged. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 1993.

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