How to prepare for losing your job

By Maureen Lafferty, Project Leader for Volume Hiring at L.L. Bean, Inc.

Are there whispers in the hallways and résumés pouring out of the office printer? Have you heard through the grapevine that layoffs are coming? While losing your job can be a difficult and stressful time, there are steps you can take to prepare that will help you feel more in control of what’s happening to you and around you.

Do your best to keep your job.
It’s not too late: there are things you can do to try to hang on to the job you’ve got. Take a hard look at your work habits—now is not the time to be chronically late, absent from work, or feuding with co-workers.

Find opportunities to show your skills and value to your employer. Are there neglected tasks that you could take on? What can you do to improve how your customers are treated? Getting noticed for the good work you are doing just might pay off. If it doesn’t, you’ve done things that will help build your résumé and get you a strong recommendation.

List your skills.
Start thinking about the skills you’ve gained from the different jobs you’ve had. Look at your résumé or work history and start a list of these skills. Review recent performance evaluations to get additional perspectives on your strengths and weaknesses.

Don’t list only specific job duties; make sure you think about your transferable skills. Transferable skills are things you can do that are applicable to different types of jobs, such as communication skills, problem-solving skills, collaboration, project management and organization. By identifying your transferable skills, you can expand your job horizons and show your value to a future employer.

Look beyond your on-the-job skills to identify other strengths. If you are coaching a team, leading a scout troop, or just juggling your busy family’s commitments, you’ve got skills you can showcase for prospective employers.

Update your work history.
When’s the last time you updated your job profile or résumé? Take the time now to do this. Try these tips for writing a résumé or online profile. A local career center can also help.

Résumés are not always one-size-fits-all. When you apply for a new job, your best guide for how to target your résumé is the job description. Pay attention to the required skills and what the company does or sells. Write your résumé to demonstrate how you are qualified for that specific job.

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