I was recently chatting with another career coach and when I told him that I’d been let go by a major outplacement firm after 15+ years of service, he commented that there was something particularly ironic about that. I agreed. After all,  my work consisted of meeting with people who had just been let go, and working with them through the search process. That would certainly make me prepared for what was coming, right? Wrong.

The full answer is I was somewhat prepared. I knew that as the company I worked for had acquired another company, job cuts were likely. My resume was in shape and I had spent a few months exploring some job leads. But here’s what hit me:

•         I didn’t like the way I was notified (impersonal and cold with no mention of what I’d done for the company)
• I was stunned that most of my colleagues kept silent even after I had sent out a short email about my upcoming departure
• I felt lost and devalued
• I missed being part of a team
• And I was blown away by how quickly my work was forgotten.

Another confession. When I was working and a client told me something like, “I just can’t believe how busy I am. I don’t know how I had time to work!” my thinking was:  you’ve lost your structure and have become  inefficient. But now that I’m on the job seeking side of the great divide, I find myself saying the same thing and I don’t think I’m disorganized or running in circles. What I do think is that my life has much more variety in it. Every day is different, and if I want to take a short break from my search and run my dog  in the nearby field, I can do it. If I want to have lunch with an elderly neighbor, I make it happen. And I’m volunteering once a week at the local hospital which is rewarding. I’m also allowing myself to live with much less stress which means I don’t have to race from one thing to another.

If you’re part of an organization and colleagues are let go, please reach out to them. Invite them for lunch or talk on the phone. It will make a huge difference. And if, like me, you’re one of the thousands who have been let go, remember you own your value which hasn’t changed, your true friends will stay in touch with you, and make sure to keep your networking active as it’s really encouraging to make new friends, too. And one last thing–get over your pride and be the one to reach out if you don’t hear from people. They’ll be glad you did, and so will you. 

What happens to many people as they look for work? They become stuck, inefficient and discouraged. To become more productive and get to your next job, you’ve got to think differently, perhaps seeing yourself as a one-person business.  So now you’re CEO of You, Inc.  Here are some initial questions to consider:

Have you set goals that are realistic and that excite you?

Where have you had traction so far?

What is clearly not working?

Where do you need help?

The reason you want goals that engage you is that they will be easier to accomplish. As a career coach, when I work with someone who is having difficulty getting things done, I often find that they’re not really interested in the work they’re pursuing. And by realistic I mean that you have the resources (time, money, patience, education, and so on) to reach your goals.

Next, pay attention to what’s working and what isn’t. Are you getting calls from the postings you’ve answered? Are recruiters calling you? Or are you finding that doors are opening as a result of your connections or networking? Do more of what’s working and less of what isn’t. (I know this sounds simplistic but you’d be amazed at how many job seekers are addicted to techniques that aren’t working.)

And lastly, where could someone else help you? If you’re having difficulty finding quality information, you might need to sit down with your local reference librarian. Or if you aren’t reaching out to people, you could get help growing your networking skills. Perhaps your resume isn’t as strong as it could be—look for resources to help you make it more effective (free community-based groups or a career coach.)

Now let’s look at the trademarks of a search that’s run as if it’s your own company. Distinguishing factors would be:

 A daily or weekly schedule of at least 25 hours a week

Good organization—a spreadsheet for contacts as well as a system for tracking your major activities

A clear communication strategy that  includes who you are, what you’re good at, why you’re seeking a new opportunity and what sets you apart from others

An emphasis on networking as this is the best way to:

— tap into the unpublished job market

–get advice that will save you time and effort

–motivate others to help you

  Relentless follow up. (Because it is in the second, third or fourth time you connect with someone that you get the best help.)

To re-energize your job search, make sure you’re invested in your goals, pay attention to what’s working and what isn’t, and run your search as if it were your own company. And a last word of advice:  be as flexible as possible and try not to say “no” to ideas that sound dubious. Getting to that next opportunity is rarely a straight line and help comes from surprising places.