Mr. and Mrs. Smith’s Unemployment Survival Tips

Before you depart from your job
  • Update your resume with current activity. It is easy to compile your past employment history and qualifications, but list the right experiences that are likely to get you that particular job.
  • Gather all of your updated contact information from your workstation and keep it for future exchange with prospective associates, clients, and acquaintances. Acquire letters of recommendation from your coworkers also.
  • Know which bills you should pay first. Of all the household bills, your mortgage/rent should be your highest priority, and everything else should circle around your home.
  • Sign up for online job search providers, such as CareerBuilder or Monster.com. Inquire about employment recruiters also.



During unemployment
  • Immediately following your layoff, file for unemployment. This is important to do so quickly because the first week that a worker is unemployed is considered the verification or “holding” week. It would be beneficial to file a claim as soon as possible because the longer the laid-off worker waits to file, the longer it takes to receive the first unemployment check. 
  • Learn the advantages and disadvantages of unemployment by pursuing information on the benefits of unemployment compensation.
  • Contact your creditors immediately with your employment status. If you are a loyal customer who consistently pays their bill on time, each of the creditors may place you on a benevolent plan of assistance by waiving late fees or allowing deferred payments.
  • Inform your family of your layoff. Your family members are the backbone of your support. This transition is best dealt with in the company of your family.
  • Discover ways to save money while unemployed. Your spending habits can have an effect on the funds that are dedicated to other household finances (mortgage, utility bills, and loans).
  • Work on your interviewing etiquette skills. Remember, the key to an impressive interview is to try to remain calm, be yourself (easier said than done), focus on your employment objective, and visualize that you are there to display your skills.